A Dragon's Kiss
by Planet Mads
Summary: 30 different kisses. 30 different ways. 30 different settings. RaimundoKimiko.
1. Perfect?

Title: Perfect?

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #15, perfect blue.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters. Though I dream of owning Rai some day.

"Rai?"

". . . Hn?"

The girl glared at the rather non-extensive answer of her best friend. Glancing down beside her she looked over at the brunette. Who was lying sprawled on the grassy hill, his arms tucked behind his head as he relaxed in the sun. Not paying any attention to her what so ever.

"Rai!"

"Hm?" He grunted, still not opening his eyes to converse with her. Glaring the girl raised a hand, curled it into a fist and slammed it in his stomach. It wasn't too hard a blow; they had received worse over their time spent as Xiaolin Dragons-in-training. But it was hard enough to make Raimundo sit up with an annoyed yell.

"What the Hell do you think you're doing Kim?"

"Getting your attention." Kimiko muttered, rolling her eyes at him.

"You could have gotten my attention without hitting me in the stomach."

"It was more fun that way."

Scowling at her Raimundo flopped back down onto the grass, his arms and legs spread-eagled.

"So what'd you want my attention for?"

". . ."

Turning sleepy eyes upwards, Raimundo squinted against the sunlight to look at his best fiend. Her knees were pulled against her chest, her arms wrapped tightly round them. An almost pained look printed on her face.

"There something wrong, Girl?"

"I don't know much about you."

Raimundo let a long suffering sigh, sometimes girls could be so weird, "What are you chatting about?"

Kimiko suddenly scowled, whipping her head round to turn her fiercest glare on him.

"I don't know much about you! I don't know all your favourite sports. I don't know where you used to live. I don't know about your family. I don't what you used to do for fun at home. I don't know about any of your old friends. I don't know anything! I-"

"Hey," Kimiko blinked when a hand landed on her mouth, effectively shutting her up. "All you have to do is ask. I'm not so self-centred that I'd talk about myself constantly, you know."

He grinned at her, that boyish, charming grin that made her stomach do summersaults and her heart pound against her ribcage.

"Soooo," He drawled, dropping his hand and throwing himself back once more. "Whaddya want to know?"

"What's your favourite colour?"

" . . .

That's it? You complain about not knowing me. Go on what would have been an hour long rant and all you want to know is my favourite colour?"

"It's the little things that are important Rai. So you gonna answer?" Sometime along their conversation Kimiko had twisted herself round so she was looking down at Raimundo. She was sitting cross-legged with her hands dangling in her lap as she stared down at the care-free Dragon of Wind.

She continued to stare at Raimundo. Who was still lying there, his eyebrows drawn together, his nose wrinkled slightly in concentration. An adorable sight if she did say so herself.

"Perfect blue."

Kimiko snorted, a most unladylike thing to do but she didn't really care.

"Perfect blue? There's no such thing, anyway shouldn't it be green? You always wear that."

"If you'd already decided what my favourite colour was, why did you ask?"

Kimiko frowned, stretching a hand out slowly to pick the medallion lying on Raimundo's chest up. Gently she traced the swirling deign on the front, not daring to look up to see Raimundo staring at her with a questioning look on his face.

"Alright, I'll humour you. What's perfect blue?"

"What do you mean by humour me? There is so such a thing as perfect blue." He growled, sitting up and snatching the medallion out of her hand. Kimiko blinked slowly, only just realising how close they were now that Raimundo was sitting up. So close she could feel his breath on her mouth, so close she could see nothing but beautiful emerald green eyes, so close she could practically hear his heart thumping inside his chest. Though his was probably making a racket out of anger not because he liked her.

"They're can't be such a thing as perfect blue." Kimiko muttered. From here she could practically count Raimundo's eyelashes. Why wasn't he moving? Not that she was complaining of course. But there was a reason . . . right?

"Why's that then Little Miss Perfect?"

"Don't call me that. Everyone has a different idea of what perfect is, so therefore there can be no such thing as 'prefect blue.'"

"Yes there can." Raimundo said, moving back a bit and nodding his head slightly as if to assure himself as well as her. Oh God, another adorable thing to add to her ever growing list of 'Rai being cute' moments.

"Oh? Pray do tell oh Almighty Dragon of the Wind," He wrinkled his nose here slightly, causing Kimiko's mouth to twitch in a half smile, "How that is possible?"

"Everyone would agree that my blue is _the_ perfect blue." He said, a cocky smirk spreading across his lips.

Kimiko rolled her eyes at him.

"Rai, there is no such-"

And once again Raimundo shut her up but this time he wasn't using his hand. No, this time his lips were against her, soft and warm. Moving against hers softly, almost as is she was made of glass and would break any moment. His hands came up carefully, slowly, ever so slowly, one wrapping around her waist while the other gently cupped her cheek. She sighed, her eyes eyelashes fluttering against her cheek as she revelled in the wonderful sensation and taste of Raimundo. But after what seemed like an eternity, yet also only a split second, he pulled away. Not too far though, his forehead stayed pressed to hers, his breath still ghosting over her lips. And hesitantly his hand left her cheek, moving to brush against her closed eyelids. Before he leaned in even closer, his lips hovering over her ear.

"Perfect blue." He mumbled; his voice low and filled with soft.

And then suddenly he was standing before her, his cocky grin back on his face. Hands shoved into his pockets as he gazed at her through his wayward bangs.

"Everyone would think my blue is the perfect blue Kim."

_End._


	2. Flowers for a Lady

Title: Flowers for a Lady.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: # 11, gardenia.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

Kimiko Toho was amazed. Truly, completely and utterly astounded. Astonished beyond belief. She was totally dumbfounded.

Really, it wasn't possible.

…

Was it?

"Repeat that."

Raimundo glared at her, green eyes narrowing as he tried to inflict wounds upon her with just his gaze. Not that it was really working.

"Will you help me?"

Kimiko leaned forward from her perch on her bed. "I'm sorry?"

"Will. You. Help. Me."

Kimiko shook her head, absolutely positive there was something wrong with her hearing. "What?"

"Dammit Kim, it's a simple question. Are you going to answer it or not?" Raimundo snapped, folding his arms across his chest defensively.

"Um . . ." The Japanese girl blinked, once, twice. Realised that Raimundo was still there ergo, he wasn't some kind of bizarre hallucination brought on by the weird food Clay and Omi had fed her. And nodded. "Sure."

He looked at her from his position in her doorway. Well it wasn't really a doorway per say more a curtain that separated her little bit of the room from everyone else's bits of the room. Sometime she really wished Master Fung would expand the temple. Was her own room too much to ask for? But that's not the point, the point was that Raimundo was looking surprised and a little . . . relieved? Maybe Clay and Omi's food really _had_ done something to her. Pushing those thoughts from her head she locked gazes with the brunette once more.

"Well?"

"Well what?" He huffed. Though there was very little venom behind his words.

"Well, what do you want my help with?"

For the second time that day Kimiko was left utterly astounded.

Raimundo was . . . there was no other way to put it; he was embarrassed. His cheeks had flared up, making the tanned skin take on a rosy hue. His eyes were downcast, his shoes suddenly a lot more interesting then her. He was fiddling with the sleeve of his tunic with one hand. Twisting from side to side slightly, squirming under her gaze.

Kimiko had rarely ever seen Raimundo embarrassed. Sure, he got a little flustered when he messed up in training but so did the rest of them. She had never seen him so uncomfortable; his body was practically a bundle of nerves. He looked as if he was about to bolt form the room any second.

A voice at the back of her head told her that Raimundo looked absolutely adorable when he was shy. However, she chose to ignore this voice. It appeared numerous times before, to tell her stuff about Raimundo more than usually, and had decided it was nothing more than a nuisance. So she fought to ignore the blush that was threatening to spread across her own face and forced the voice to the back of her mind. Trying not to focus on the fact that it was appearing more and more often and usually happened to be making comments about how good-looking Raimundo was.

"Rai?"

The brunette glanced at her from under his bangs. He quickly looked back down again, blush still in place. Kimiko had to fight the urge to squeal and hug him.

"I can't help you if you don't tell me what I'm supposed to be helping you with." Kimiko stated matter-of-factly. He looked back up again, his blush fading slightly.

"It's my sister."

The Dragon of Fire rose an eyebrow. Indicating that that was clearly not enough information. She got a scowl for that.

"She got dumped."

Kimiko nodded.

"She'd been dating him for a year and a half."

Kimiko nodded once more, wincing slightly. Long-term relationship. That hurt. She watched as Raimundo sighed, drawing in a huge breath before quickly finishing off his explanation in one go. "I want to get her something to cheer her up. So I need your help because I don't know what to get her."

Kimiko mentally grinned to herself. Even though Raimundo could be a jerk and he had just barged in her room without so much as checking to see if she was in the middle of changing or something. She still found him sweet. How many other little brothers would you find willing to send a present half way round the world to you because you had been dumped.

Not many.

"Ah sure." Kimiko said, hopping off her perch on the bed. She strode across the small space and grabbed his hand in hers, proceeding to drag him out the door. "I know exactly what to do."

Two hours later and Raimundo was regretting his decision. Kimiko had dragged them down to the village. Where she had proceeded to take him to practically every shop there.

"Lighten up Rai."

"I don't like shopping." He muttered; a scowl on his face. Though it looked more like a pout than anything else. Kimiko suppressed a smile and continued down the street.

"What are we looking for anyway? You keep talking to all the people in the shops."

"Flower shop." Kimiko said absentmindedly, looking down at the direction the last shop-keeper had given her.

"Flowers?" Raimundo asked incredulously.

"Flowers." Kimiko muttered; they'd taken a wrong turn. They would have to go back and take the left turning instead of the right.

"_Flowers_!"

"Yes Rai, flowers." She turned to look at the brunette, an annoyed scowl on her face. "Flowers and a huge box of chocolates along with a really nice card. She'll love them."

Raimundo snorted. "_I_ could have thought of that. Couldn't you be a little more inventive?"

"Raimundo Pedrosa," She said, levelling him with her best no-nonsense stare and talking to him as if he had said something incredibly offensive. "Trust me when I tell you that flowers and a large quantity of chocolates, preferably expensive, are what she needs right now. I'm a girl, I should know."

Turning back around, she looked back down at the directions. "Anyway, we're almost there now."

Reaching behind her she grabbed his hand, smirking to herself when he jumped slightly. Starting off down the street she dragged Raimundo behind her, refusing to let go of his hand the entire way. And to her surprise, and deleight, he didn't let go either.

"Here." She muttered, releasing Raimundo's hand with something akin to disappointment filling her. Stepping inside the shop, Kimiko glanced around, forcing the odd emotions back down again. A grin spreading across her face as she took in all the different flowers in the room.

"You're serious about the flowers aren't you?"

Glancing over her shoulder, Kimiko looked at her friend. Raimundo was scowling, hands stuffed in his pockets. His pose practically radiating 'I am so annoyed.'

"Rai," Kimiko said softly, reaching forward to place a hand on his arm. His head snapped round to look at her, eyes wide. Clearly not used to her being so . . . gentle with him. "You have to trust me. I wouldn't be horrible and mess up something as important as this."

She smiled, a kind smile. Her blue eyes soft and the corner of her mouth pulled upwards ever so slightly. She paused slightly, allowing the hand on his arm to drop. Her fingers trailing down his arm and latching onto his fingers. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before turning back round to face the display of flowers.

"Which are her favourite?"

"Huh?"

"Your sister, what are her favourite flowers?"

"Roses."

Kimiko pulled a face and began to look around for some. Raimundo watched her silently for a few second before taking off after her.

"You don't like roses?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I like them." She muttered, finally finding a selection at the back of the shop. Red, white and yellow. A difficult choice.

"Then what was with the face?" He asked, coming to stand behind her. Kimiko shrugged, checking the price of each of the three types of roses.

"It's just . . . Never mind." She whispered, turning to go and ask the shopkeeper how much the red roses were. They didn't have a label.

"No." Raimundo reached out, one hand latching onto her shoulder and holding her in place. "It does matter. Tell me."

Kimiko sighed, tugging her way out of Raimundo's hold so she could turn round and look at him. She almost smiled when she saw the frustrated frown on his face. It made her happy to know that he was interested in her, albeit just about her taste in flowers but it was better than nothing.

"It's just common, you know? Every girl one day hopes to get roses be it from a friend or boyfriend. It's symbol of love. Platonic or romantic." Here Raimundo cocked an eyebrow, clearly telling her that he already knew that. Rolling her eyes at him, she continued. "I just think it's kinda common and if someone liked me, it would be nice to know they were interested enough to find out what my favourite flowers were." And suddenly Kimiko frowned, her voice trailing off. "But that's not interesting to you because you're a boy. So I'll shut up right about now."

Trying to fight the oncoming blush down she turned back round to the roses. It might be better to just send white and yellow roses instead of red. He could afford two types and red was just totally a romantic colour; probably something she didn't need reminding of.

"So which are your favourite?"

"Huh?"

Kimiko asked, turning round her mouth open in surprise. A thoughtful look was plastered across Raimundo's face instead of his usual cocky expression. Making him seem so much more . . . nicer. He looked gentler, almost as if the look had softened out the lines on his face. Making him seem . . . seem . . . gorgeous, wonderful, perfect. Okay, now was the time to shut that stupid voice up again.

"What are your favourite flowers?"

"Uh . . ." Kimiko blushed slightly, not quite understanding why. "Gardenias."

Raimundo nodded, reaching past her to pick up a bouquet of yellow and white roses. "Will these do?"

Kimiko nodded, shaking her head as he wandered off to the till. The look on her friend's face was new. She had very rarely seen him look like that. Then again she had learned about Raimundo today. She only hoped that she could learn even more about him in the future.

It had been two weeks since they had been shopping. And Kimiko had found herself spending ludicrous amounts of time with Raimundo ever since. She seemed to crave his attention when he wasn't there, to smile at her, laugh with her, make her happy. She only ever felt truly content when he was by her side or at least near by. Sighing, the Japanese girl shook her head and dropped into her seat.

"The usual for breakfast?"

Clay nodded, "The cooks here don't appear ta know the meaning of the word 'change.'"

Kimiko grinned at the cowboy who nodded and stood up, moving to put his bowl in the sink.

"Tell Rai that it's his turn to do the dishes today. Omi hurt his hand in training yesterday and can't do it. So he'll be taking Raimundo's turn next week."

Kimiko nodded as the blonde left. Leaving her to eat her food in peace. Though that didn't last long. Not that it ever did at the Xiaolin Temple.

"Morning Kim."

"Morning Rai, you-"

"Close your eyes."

The Dragon of Fire eyed her companion, who was grinning broadly, his hands behind his back. Clearly hiding something.

"Rai, what are you up to?"

He just continued to grin. "Go on, shut your eyes."

Kimiko sighed, two weeks ago she would have refused but after spending so much time with the brunette lately and nothing happening to her she was prepared to trust him a bit more. Sighing she closed her eyes.

"This better not be a prank Rai."

He didn't answer, instead she heard him moving closer. She frowned slightly when she heard him put something down on the table before retreating again.

"Open your eyes."

Instantly Kimiko looked down at the table where a bouquet of gardenias lay. The light seemed to glint off the huge maroon petals. Each flower was beautiful, freshly picked and the entire bouquet was wrapped in white and gold paper.

"Rai . . ."

"It's a thank you, for helping me out with the present for my sister. She called yesterday, saying she really liked them. She sounds a lot better. So I felt I owed you something for helping me out."

He had that grin on. The cute grin, that was gentle and extremely hot all at the same time. The grin that made her heart pound and her pulse raise. The grin that made her insides feel as if a hundred butterflies were flying around. The grin that rendered her completely speechless.

The brunette smiled at her again. "You like them?"

Wordlessly, Kimiko got to her feet. Walking the few steps round the table so she was face to face with Raimundo. She wasn't quite sure what she was doing because, really, her brain had practically short-circuited when Raimundo had smiled at her. She had no clue about what she was going to do next. Or even why she was doing it.

Apparently her body did though.

Standing on her tip toes she leaned forward, her hands moving to rest on Raimundo's shoulders. Quickly she pressed her lips to Raimundo's. It was a brief kiss, barely lasting a few seconds. But for Kimiko it seemed to last an eternity. And in those few precious seconds she memorized everything. From the heat radiating off his body, to the surprised, yet pleased, look in his eyes, to the slightly chapped feeling of his lips against hers.

And she stepped back.

Grinning somewhat shyly at him she tried to fight the blush down. "That was . . . my thank you for the flowers."

Raimundo nodded, clearly still in shock. Kimiko grinned, spinning on her toes to face the door. Marching over she tried to fight down the feelings of happiness as she picked her bouquet up on the way past.

"Oh Rai, Omi's hurt himself so you have to do the dishes today." She said before walking out the door.

"What! Kim get back in here!"

Ignoring his annoyed yells she walked off towards her room. If she was lucky, he might get her flowers next time she helped him out.

Or maybe, just maybe, he might give her a kiss as a thank you.

_End of Thank You. _

I forgot to mention this last time, so I'm telling you now. This is for the 30 kisses community challenge. Meaning that I'll be doing thirty different one-shots, in thirty different settings, each involving a kiss between Raimundo and Kimiko. So . . . prepare yourselves.


	3. Past and Present

Title: Past and Present.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #10, the number ten.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

One . . .

Two . . .

Kimiko counted slowly, her entire attention focused on the task she was doing. Pouring all her concentration into the single action.

Three . . .

Four . . .

To her, it was important. No one else would understand, couldn't possibly begin to comprehend why it was important.

Five . . .

Six . . .

Her fingers trailed down the well-toned chest. Across the taught tanned skin. Her fingertips trailing across his shoulders, down his arms.

Seven . . .

Eight . . .

Her mind took in every single detail. Burned them into her brain, memorizing each and every single mark with precise precision.

Nine . . .

Ten . . .

"Ten . . ."

Raimundo Pedrosa had exactly ten scars. Ten hideous scars. Ten horrible marks, torn into his skin with complete and utter malice.

"Ten what?"

Kimiko glanced up, blue eyes locking onto green. Raimundo was lying on his bed, hands tucked behind his head. His hair tousled from sleep, his eyes still droopy. His top had been discarded the night before somewhere; he never slept with a shirt on. Kimiko was lying on top of him; her chin resting on his abs, her hands still pressed against his chest. Clad in her favourite pair of pyjamas, a pale blue with numerous frills. She was content to simply lie there and watch him. Bask in his warmth and enjoy their first day off in quite a while.

"Scars."

Raimundo winced slightly, turning his gaze skyward. He never liked talking about them. He didn't like talking about his past. Period.

"Kim . . ."

"I know, don't bring it up. It's just . . ."

Just she didn't like to see his scars. Didn't like to see his face contort with pain as he recalled the memories that gave him the very scars she hated. But she knew he had to talk about them, the memories that haunted his every waking moment. If he didn't, if he kept his emotions bottled up, one day they would overload and end up destroying Rai from the inside out.

She wouldn't let that happen to him.

"I know, I know." He grinned at her, a slightly dimmer grin than usual but still a grin. "I will tell you everything. But in pieces, okay? I just find it difficult to talk about."

Kimiko nodded, pressing her face into his chest. She understood, she wouldn't push him. She never had and never would. Her only goal here was to protect and help him.

It was actually why she had ended up counting his scars anyway. He often got nightmares. Nightmares so bad that the rest of the Dragons would wake up to Raimundo's terrified screams. It was why she now snuck into the brunette's bed most nights just after lights out. So she could be there for him.

He only ever slept without nightmares when she was there.

He had said so himself, which was why she made it into a daily routine. Have a shower, change into her nightclothes, climb into bed, wait a few minutes after Master Fung had turned the lights off before scurrying across the room to Rai's bed. She couldn't really help him much with his past memories, she could only listen to him as he spoke of his memories, could only hug him as he fought back tears. Nothing else. So she liked knowing she could at least do something for him.

Even if it was only a small thing like stopping his nightmares.

A pair of arms wrapped round her waist, hugging her tightly for a second. Glancing up, the Dragon of Fire rose a questioning eyebrow.

"Thanks. Again."

Kimiko stared at Raimundo, a slight frown crossing her face. He shouldn't feel the need to thank her. She would always be there for him. Always.

Misinterpreting the frown Raimundo smiled sheepishly at her. "Thanks for, you know, sneaking into my bed just to prevent me from having nightmares. It means a lot and-"

"You don't need to thank me." Kimiko whispered, sitting up and leaning forward. Her hair dropping forward, creating a black veil around them. Pressing her lips to Raimundo's, one hand moving to grab a fistful of his hair. She clung to him, pouring everything into the kiss. Every single last emotion she felt, worry, fear, longing, understanding, love. Telling him she would always be there, telling him not to give in to his personal demons, telling him not worry, that she would always be there. Parting, she dropped her forehead onto his. A grin playing across her face.

"Because that's what I'm here for."

"Oh?" He said, the beginnings of a smirk playing across his face. "I thought you where here to make-out?"

Kimiko grinned, "That too."

_End Past and Present._

It's not very long. But I prefer over some of the other RaiKim stuff I've done (Most remaining un-posted.) For some reason the idea of Rai having a dark past really appeals to me, so I'm glad to be able to get to do a piece on it. Tell me if you think I did okay.


	4. My Baby

Title: My Baby.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #28, Wada Calcium CD3.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

Kimiko's nightly routine consisted mainly of two things.

It was a routine that could tire out the strongest man alive, could make geniuses weep and could make Omi and Clay turn and run away as fast as they could. And considering the years of training they had, that was pretty fast.

The first thing just so happened to be her daughter. The second, her husband.

Pushing the door to her daughter's room open she peered inside. Sitting on her bed was her little girl. Her shoulder-length black hair was pulled into two pigtails. Strands of black hair had escaped and were falling into her bright green eyes. She was still dressed in her school uniform. But the pleated grey skirt was severely un-pleated now and more rumpled. Her dark blue blazer was tossed onto the floor and her once ironed white shirt now had several creases in it as well as being splattered with what looked like mud and ketchup. Kimiko internally sighed, making a mental note to go out and buy some more shirts.

Stepping into the room, she quietly closed the door behind her. Her daughter didn't look up; she was sprawled across her bed with a rather large collection of toys strewn around her. And two of them were presently being made to dance together.

"Chikako."

The six year old looked up, a toothy grin spreading across her face when she saw her mother.

"Bed-time."

The smile immediately vanished, only to be replaced with a pout that looked exactly like her father's. Rolling her eyes Kimiko walked across the room and began to pick the toys up off the bed and put them back in her toy basket.

"Go brush you're teeth."

The small girl pouted again before jumping off her bed and scampering across the room to the door on the far side while Kimiko began to put her daughter's toys away. Throwing the door open Chikako quickly grabbed her stool and placed it before the sink. Snatching her toothbrush from its stand she began to brush her teeth as fast as she could, nearly emptying the entire tube of toothpaste onto her brush in her haste. Kimiko smiled as she watched her daughter, looking back over at the bed she picked up yet another teddy bear.

"No Mummy, don't put him in the basket. He's sleeping with me."

Kimiko looked up at her daughter, who was standing before her with her toothbrush in her mouth and a mouthful of white foam before she turned to look back down at the teddy bear. It looked very much like the one she had as a child. It was a dark brown with a white patch over its right eye and had a bright pink ribbon tied around its neck.

"When did you get this?"

"Daddy got it for me a few days ago."

Kimiko snorted, typical him. He knew very well that she used to have a toy like this. He had teased her about brining it with her to the temple constantly. Jerk. A lovable jerk, but still a jerk.

"What pyjamas are you wearing tonight?" Kimiko asked, placing the teddy bear on her daughter's pillow as she turned to look at her. The girl cocked her head to the side in a thoughtful expression before grinning.

"The blue ones."

Kimiko smiled faintly. "Nearly all your night clothes are blue."

Chikako giggled; skipping over to her chest of draws she tugged the bottom one open. Pulling out a pair of silk pale blue pyjamas, heavily decorated with frills.

"These ones."

"Alright."

Kimiko smiled to herself as she helped her daughter into her nightwear. She loved Chikako with all her heart. She was one of the two most important people in her entire world. The other being her idiotic husband. She couldn't imagine a life without them.

But she might just have to.

Kimiko's eyes began to sting as she tugged the frilly blue top over her daughter's head. Bending down she scooped the small child into her arms and carried her to her bed. Carefully tucking the dark blue covers around her daughter's small frame.

"Mummy upset?"

Her daughter's wide innocent eyes looked up at her. Worry clearly shinning in them. It tore through her heart like a knife.

"No." Kimiko said, glad to hear that her voice only had slight tremor to it. "Mummy's just got something in her eye."

Straightening up, Kimiko smiled at her daughter. "What story do you want tonight?"

"The one about the Xiaolin Dragons."

Kimiko grinned. "Again?"

"Yeah, it's the bestest story ever."

"Alright, which one of the many Xiaolin tales do you want to hear?"

Chikako frowned thoughtfully for a second before her face split into a smile.

"The one where the Dragons of wind and fire had their first kiss." The small girl smiled up at her mother suddenly. "It's my favourite."

Kimiko smiled softly as she sunk into the chair beside her daughter's bed. "It's my favourite too."

Half and hour later, a sleepy Chikako was still listening to her mother.

" . . . and then he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. And there she would always feel safe and loved, for many years to come. The end."

Kimiko slowly got to her feet, running a hand through her daughter's messy black her hair. Smoothing it backwards, away from her face Kimiko planted a kiss to her daughter's forehead.

"Mummy, what happened after?"

"After what sweetie?"

"They're adventures. You said 'for many years to come' but a year later they finally defeated Wuya and collected all the Shen Gong Wu, right?"

"They took an even bigger adventure."

Chikako's eyes lit up. "Really? What?"

"Marriage."

"Marriage?" The small girl said, wrinkling her nose. "But marriage is easy, you and daddy are always really happy. Why would being married to someone be difficult?"

"Because they ended up with a family. And a family is the biggest mission of all."

Noticing her daughter's blank face, Kimiko smiled.

"You'll understand one day."

Chikako pouted. "You always say that."

Kimiko laughed, reaching over to the cupboard above her daughter's bed. The medicine cupboard. Chikako had her own private cupboard for her medication. She'd always been weak when she was younger. Chikako had been prone to sickness, and had had a tendency of catching all the bugs going around. Her bones had been fragile, her skin easy to bruise. Kimiko had spent so much time worrying over her, afraid that the smallest accident would leave her baby permanently wounded. When they had taken her to the Doctor he had just said she was weak, probably because she had been born premature, and had handed them Calcium pills.

Calcium pills.

A year or so down the line and they had finally gotten an expert to see their daughter like they had wanted. Only to discover she was far sicker then they could ever have imagined.

Byoushin disease.

The disease was like a leech, slowly sucking the life out of the person infected with it till they had nothing left, till it killed them. There was an operation to stop it, but it was new and not that reliable. And in Chikako's state it was too risky. She was far too weak to undergo any kind of severe operation like that. Now, all she could do was hope that a new cure would be found before her daughter's time ran out.

"Time for your pills darling."

Chikako nodded sleepily as Kimiko handed her tablet after tablet, downing each one with a sip from the glass of water kept by her bed. When Chikako had first started taking her Calcium pills, it had been a battle. The small child hadn't liked swallowing the horribly huge tablets and they had spent ages trying to get her to take them. Now however, taking pills was like a second nature to her.

Frowning, Kimiko put the last bottle back in the cupboard, locking it tightly.

"Night night baby."

"Night mummy."

Kimiko smiled softly to herself as she tiptoed out the room, turning the light off as she gently pulled the door to.

Striding down the corridor to her own bedroom, Kimiko fought back a yawn. Taking care of her sick daughter was tiring work, especially with all the appointments they had to go to, but it was worth it.

Flinging the door open, Kimiko strode into her room. Marching over to her cupboard, she began looking for her nightgown. She jumped slightly when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her waste.

"Did Chikako complain about going to bed early again?" He asked, pressing his face into the crook of her neck.

"Nope."

"Then why are you so tense?"

"She asked a few bad questions. About the Xiaolin Dragons."

Raimundo chuckled, "You shouldn't have told her about our childhood then."

Kimiko snorted and yanked her favourite nightgown out the cupboard. "She really likes them. They're a great way of getting her to sleep." Spinning round she looked up into her husband's face. His shaggy brown hair was a mess and his chin had stubble covering it. His usually bright green eyes were dim and black rings circled them.

"You had a hard day too, huh?" Kimiko whispered, running a hand lovingly down the side of her husband's face.

"It was okay."

"Rai . . . you're working yourself to the bone. Chikako misses you, I-"

"I'm nearly there Kim, we're nearly there." Raimundo took in a shaky breathe, his eyes locking onto hers. "I have some of the best people working alongside me Kim. We'll find a cure, I know it. We're so close and then, and then . . . we can end it. End the hurt. End the stress. End the battle for our daughter's life. I'm so close; just hold on a little bit longer."

The desperation in his voice was enough to convince her to hold on. The conviction in his words was enough to make her have hope again. Something she had given up on since the discovery of Chikako's condition.

Leaning forward, Kimiko pressed her forehead against Raimundo's. One hand running through his messy hair as she stared into his eyes. His beautiful promising eyes. "I'll hold on. We'll hold on. I know you will do it."

Raimundo smirked. "Damn straight."

Kimiko let out a half chuckle, half sigh before closing the remaining distance between them. His lips pressing against hers in a daily routine that she knew would never get boring. The warmth that flooded her being came only from being here, in his arms.

Where she was safe and loved.

_End My Baby._

I'm so sorry I took so long posting this chapter. I've been really busy and my muse has been evil but it's really no excuse. I'll try to be better in the future. I'm not very pleased with how it came out, buy, hey I'll leave you to decide.

And if none of you got it I made Raimundo a doctor. He's working on a cure for Chikako's disease. Which is made up by the way. But new illnesses are discovered all the time, so . . . hey, writer's license.


	5. Mail Problems

Title: Mail Problems.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #2, news; letter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

Raimundo was a pain.

No wait, he was _the_ pain. The pain of all pains. There was nothing worse than having a Raimundo. Really, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing nothing, noth-

"Rai, you stupid, arrogant, two-faced, pain in the neck! Give it back!"

Her only answer was Raimundo's laughter. Which seemed to resonate around her, making her even angrier. Because she couldn't track him down if she didn't know which direction the laughing was coming from. She also hated being laughed at. No one ever had the right to laugh at her!

"Rai get back here _now_!" She roared, taking off down one of the corridors. Her hands balled into fists as she sprinted through the halls. Dodging some of the elder monks that were walking to the mediation temple. She made a mental note to say sorry later. After she had caught Raimundo. When she got a hold of him . . .

She growled, skidding round the corner.

Only to crash into Clay.

"Umph!"

"Ow." Kimiko groaned, reaching up to grab her head.

"You okay there partner?" The blonde asked, reaching over to pick his hat up off the floor. His eyes fixed on her, worry flickering in the blue depths.

"I'm fine." Kimiko muttered, rubbing her head with one hand. It was all Raimundo's fault. She was going to get him for this! He'd be in his grave before the day was through.

"What's gotten you so angry?" Clay asked, standing up and brushing the dust off his trousers. Before extending a hand to Kimiko. Ever the gentlemen.

"Ugh, Rai's just being a pain." She muttered, grabbing the outstretched limb and letting Clay haul her to her feet.

"What's he done this time?"

Kimiko suddenly glared into the distance, just over Clay's shoulder. Which made the blond rather nervous, not that she noticed.

"He stole my letter."

"Letter?" Clay asked slowly, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Yes Clay, letter." She murmured, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Don't you usually talk to ya pals by e-mail or somethin'?"

"Yes but this is different."

"How different?"

"It just is okay!" Kimiko snapped suddenly, stopping her foot and crossing her arms.

"Alright, alright I was only asking." Clay murmured, pulling his hat over his eyes. "I'll leave you too it."

Kimiko opened her mouth as Clay turned to walk off. She really needed help, Raimundo was a pain at the best of times but today . . .

No.

Shutting her mouth, she let Clay walk off. She would do this herself. She would catch Raimundo, make him beg for mercy and then chop him up into tiny little pieces. All by herself.

"Aw, is poor Kimiko upset?"

She froze, knowing exactly who it was that had spoken. Spinning round she turned to look at the entrance. Raimundo was leaning against one of the pillars, his feet crossed at the ankles. In one hand he was holding her letter, casually running it through his fingers. Smirking, he cocked his head to the side, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Does poor little Kimiko need help?" He drawled, voice layered with sarcasm.

"Give. That. Back. Now."

"Hmm." Raimundo said, tapping one finger to the side of his face in a thoughtful pose. "Do I really want to give you back your letter?"

"Yes."

Raimundo continued, ignoring her completely, "You know what? I don't think I do."

Pushing himself off the pillar, Raimundo grinned at her.

"Catch me if you can Kimiko." Before spinning on his heel and legging it out the door. Letting out a furious battle cry the Dragon of Fire charged after him.

"If it's the last thing I do I _will_ catch you!"

Raimundo's only reply was to laugh again. Looking over his shoulder he grinned at her, giving her a little wave before speeding up. Leaping over some of the obstacles they had been using for training Raimundo put more distance in-between himself and Kimiko. The Japanese girl growled, as Dragon of the Wind Raimundo was naturally faster than, not just her, but all of them. He had been practising using his element to speed up all his actions recently. They were all finding it hard to keep up with him in training. His punches were so much quicker than before that it was hard to block them let alone retaliate. Which meant she wasn't going to be able to catch him.

Unless she started playing dirty.

"Judallet Flip! Fire!" Kimiko yelled. Jumping into the air, leg extended, she flipped through the air landing in a tree which quickly caught on fire. The tree was alight in seconds' and soon the entire row of trees was alight. It also happened that the suddenly flaming trees happened to be over one of the obstacles in the course. It looked like one of those wooden hurdles but spikes appeared out the top and if you didn't jump high enough you got seriously hurt. It was only because they were good that Master Fung let them practise with the equipment like this. And Raimundo, being his incredibly quick self, could easily jump it unlike the others. What he did not expect, however, was for a number of embers to drop from the sky onto the obstacle and for Kimiko to use her element to instantly set it on fire. With a yelp, Raimundo jumped away, batting at his trousers.

For a moment Kimiko felt guilty. She watched in slow motion as Raimundo put the fire out with his bare hands, hopping form one to foot to another and burning his hands as he did so. The only reason Raimundo had stolen her letter was because he was retaliating. This morning she had felt in a . . . playful mood. So she had switched the sugar with the salt, knowing that Raimundo poured about ten tonnes of the stuff on his breakfast. The poor brunette had cried out, clutching at his throat as tears welled in his eyes. Running over to the sink he had spat his food out, immediately turning the tap on and sticking his head under faucet to gulp down water. He had glared at her as he drank while she just sat there and laughed at him. Really, it was only fair game that he took her letter. He didn't know how important it was; she didn't really have any right to set him on fire.

"No." She whispered shaking her head. He could read her like a book; he must know it's important. Glaring she glanced around, realising that Raimundo had dropped the letter while trying to put himself out. Grinning she darted forward, hand outstretched.

Only to have it snatched out from under her nose.

Raimundo was standing there an extremely determined, and serious, look on his face. It was in that moment she realized she had gone to far. Clasping the letter tightly in his hand he spun round and took off again. This time a lot faster; he wasn't even giving her a chance. Biting her bottom lip Kimiko stared after him, she had just done something _really_ bad.

Raimundo wasn't going to give her a chance, no the brunette would go all out to keep that letter away from her now. Which wasn't what she was really worried about. No, if Raimundo kept the letter away from her then he would be kept away form her too. And if he ran away every time he saw her she was going to find it difficult to apologise. Flicking the wind chime in the mediation temple Kimiko waited as the vault slowly opened. Stepping into the vault she frowned; it was time to get serious.

Forty seven minutes and fifty three seconds.

She had been sitting on the roof, waiting for Raimundo to appear for forty seven minutes and fifty three seconds. In one hand the Shard of Lighting was clasped tightly, her knuckles white. For some odd reason the guilt was clawing at her insides like a vicious monster. Making her stomach churn in a very, very bad way. Why she felt so bad was beyond her, all she knew was that she needed to find-

Ah!

"Shard of Lighting!"

Grinning in triumph as Raimundo seemed to freeze, she jumped form the roof, sprinting towards her comrade. She reached him just as the flash wore off. Raimundo's eyes widened in surprise when Kimiko seem to suddenly appeared before his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, only to be tackled to the ground. He hit the ground with a loud thump, Kimiko on top of him.

"That's cheating." Raimundo murmured, breathless. Not that she was surprised, she would have more than likely knocked the wind out of him.

"Then you shouldn't have tapped into your element."

"Neither should you."

"You shouldn't have stolen me letter."

"You shouldn't have switched the salt and sugar."

Kimiko glared at Raimundo, her hands pinning his wrists to the ground while she sat herself comfortably on his abdomen, her weight keeping him in place. Electricity crackled between them as they glared, green versus blue in a battle of wills. And suddenly Kimiko broke into a grin.

"You're right; I shouldn't have done any of those things. Forgive me?"

Raimundo blinked slowly, staring at her in surprise.

"You hit your head Girl?"

"No," She whispered, leaning in close to look him in the eye. He had such pretty eyes, a beautiful forest green. They seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, contrasting beautifully with his golden brown skin. "I just realised what a lousy friend I was being."

"You were a bit." Raimundo murmured, a smirk on his face. Kimiko rolled her eyes, trust him to enjoy every moment of this.

"You pain in the ass, your not gonna forgive me till I beg, are you?"

"Nope." Raimundo said, his grin growing ever wider.

"Well tough luck." She said, sniffing slightly, "You ain't gonna get me to beg."

Raimundo pulled a face, causing Kimiko to laugh. Still grinning she let her arms go from beneath her, dropping her head to Raimundo's chest. The warmth seemed to radiate off his body, rolling off him waves. She could feel his heart, beating fast in his chest. His body was rising and falling with each breath, taking her with him. She grinned softly, reaching up to grab hold of Raimundo's robe. Curling her fingers in the material she tugged on it, almost trying to bury herself in his chest.

"So, what was in the letter?"

Blinking back the sleep invading her thoughts, really Raimundo was too comfortable for his own good, she looked over to her right. Lying on the ground was her letter.

"So?"

"Not telling."

"Fine then."

Kimiko yelped when Raimundo suddenly flipped her over, dropping onto her instantly. His body holding her in place as he reached over and grabbed the letter. Using one hand, while the other tightly held her by her wrists, he managed to open the letter.

"No, Rai don't!"

And out fell two tickets.

"What's this?"

"They're tickets to a football match; your favourite team is in the semi-finals. They were going to be a surprise for your birthday." Kimiko muttered angrily, crossing her arms irritably. Well as much as you could when you were pinned beneath your best friend. Turning her head to the side she looked away from him.

" . . . Kim."

There was suddenly a hand ghosting over her shin, tugging her face towards his. And a pair of lips suddenly covered her own. The kiss was brief, the moulding of lips to lips only lasting a few seconds. But the contact was long enough to send heat throughout her body, to leave the giddy butterfly sensation in her stomach and too cause a red hot blush to spread across her face.

"Thanks, I know it'll be the best birthday present I've ever had."

_Fin._

I don't really like this one.

But I have good news! Cartoon network has finally decided to show us the rest of season three. And hopefully (please, please, please) season four as well.

Either way, my muse is going to be back with a vengeance!


	6. Boredom

Title: Boredom.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #19, red.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

**Sequel to Perfect**

_Forwards._

_Backwards._

_Forwards._

_Backwards._

_Forwards._

_Backwards._

_Forwards._

_Backwards._

"Rai, quit it!"

The brunette in question was presently slouched across the table. At one point in time he had his arms folded and his face buried in them. But boredom does strange things to you and Raimundo had wound up leaning on one of his arms. While the other was spread across the table top, a coin held in his fingers.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Raimundo moved to look up at his fellow apprentice. One eye was still buried in the fabric of his tunic while the other was nearly completely hidden by his wayward bangs. Despite this he still managed to give Kimiko a rather terrifying death-glare before going back to rolling the coin across the table-top.

_Forwards._

_Backwards._

_Forwards._

_Backwards._

_For-_

A hand slammed down onto his, effectively stopping him from rolling the coin and annoying her any further.

Raimundo blinked up at her slowly. "Why'd you do that?"

"Because you were annoying me."

Raimundo smirked. "I always annoy you."

Kimiko rolled her eyes, though she still had yet to remove her hand from his. Not that he had noticed. He never did. She thought she was rather obvious in her affections for him. But he had either not noticed or decided to ignore her advances.

She couldn't decide which.

Which, she decided, wasn't really fair. After all, _he'd_ been the one that had kissed _her_. So surely he should be taking every chance he got to shower her with affections and flowers and chocolates. And, at the very least, decide to make a move on her. She was being so obvious. Why the hell wasn't he asking her out?

"Rai . . ." Kimiko murmured, her eyes fixed on the sleepy brunette. She at least wanted him to talk to her, even if it was only as a friend.

"Yeah?"

". . . talk to me."

The Dragon of Wind looked up long enough to give her a withering look before burying his head in his arms again. Or arm as one hand was still wrapped in Kimiko's.

"'Bout what?" He said, voice muffled by the fabric.

"I don't know, anything, everything. Just . . . stop being boring and talk to me." She said, waving her arms around in the air for emphasis. Finally removing her hand from his, in what she hoped was a subtle manner.

Raimundo grunted, finally pulling himself up to look at her.

"Alright girl, shoot."

Kimiko blinked. "Huh?"

"You wanna talk? Then _you_ can start the conversation." The brunette said, a satisfied grin playing across his lips as he saw her wrinkle her nose in annoyance.

"You are such a pain."

"I live to make your life hell. But you already knew that." The smile he gave her was both cheerful and smug. But she was glad to see him smiling, he'd done nothing but mope since he got up. So she decided to ignore the air of arrogance that surrounded him as he grinned at her and decided to take his advice.

"What . . ."

She paused. She wanted to make him think of her. She wanted to say something that would make him realise that she wanted him to ask her out. Without being too obvious. Subtlety had never really been her thing, so finding a way to get Rai to ask her out without looking like an idiot was a difficult task.

_His fingers skimming her skin. His hands pressing against her face. His lips, soft and warm against her own._

"_Everyone would think my blue is the perfect blue Kim."_

"Colour."

"Huh?" Raimundo said, giving her a confused look.

"Colour . . ." She paused for a second, swallowing nervously. "What is your worst colour?"

"Worst?" Raimundo questioned, propping his chin up with his fist. His eyes staring intently into hers.

"Yeah, what colour do you hate?"

The brunette's brow furrowed as he mulled the question over. Kimiko felt her heart thudding against her ribcage. He was taking a long time to answer. Perhaps he had understood what she had been getting at, by asking the same kind of question she had when they had first kissed. Perhaps he was taking it seriously.

"Red."

"Huh?"

Raimundo rolled his eyes. "My least favourite colour is red."

Kimiko grinned. "Why? Is it because we have to wear it every day?"

Raimundo shook his head, glancing down at the table nervously for a second before his usual grin was back in place. Too late though. Kimiko had seen the uncertainty that had crossed her friend's face. And was determined to do something about it.

"Rai?"

He glanced at her. Knowing that she had seen the look and that she wanted an answer. Kimiko Toho never gave up.

"Please tell me." She whispered, her eyes widening as they filled with tears, her bottom lip trembling. Raimundo had never been able to resist the 'puppy dog eyes' treatment. Despite the fact that he was a serious jerk a lot of the time and claimed that 'whiny girls only ever annoyed him.'

Raimundo sighed while Kimiko grinned in triumph, knowing that she had won.

"What do you think red represents?"

"Um . . ." Kimiko paused for a second thoughtfully before grinning. "Love. It reminds me of love. Which was why I was quite scared when our uniforms turned out to be red."

Raimundo smiled at that. It was a small smile. Not a full-on happy grin like usual but it would do. For the moment anyway.

"You know red reminds me of love to."

Kimiko blinked, her heart clenching painfully in her chest. Raimundo hated love? He hated the idea of falling for someone? Then why tease her? Why spend time with her? Why _kiss_ her? Kimiko's hands twitched as she desperately fought the urge to rub her suddenly burning eyes.

"One day in particular."

"W-Wha?" Kimiko mumbled, trying to stop her voice from wavering. Though she failed spectacularly and no doubt came off sounding like some idiotic cry-baby. _Of course_, she thought bitterly, _let's add insult to injury shall we?_

"Red reminds me of Valentine's Day."

Kimiko snorted. "And that's a bad thing, is it?"

Raimundo slowly rose his head to look at her, green eyes starting emphatically at her. His bottle green eyes devoid of practically any emotion. Kimiko ducked her head, allowing her bangs to cover her eyes. He wasn't going to see her cry.

She jumped when a tanned hand suddenly wrapped around her own. Callous fingers interlacing with her own. She glanced up, surprised, and was offered a small, tentive, smile.

"It's the day he walked out on us, you know."

"Who?" Kimiko mumbled, her confidence back but still a little wary. She wasn't going to risk getting her hopes to high up. Though something inside had begun to do somersaults when Raimundo had taken her hand.

"My dad. He walked out on me and my mum and my sister."

Raimundo paused, turning to look out over the mountain. His eyes distant, as he recalled the day so long ago.

"He asked her to marry him on Valentines Day to. So it was double blow. It really hurt her and . . ." He looked back over at Kimiko a sad smile on his face. "She had me really young and her parents disowned her for it and he took a lot of the money with him when he left." Raimundo shrugged here, anger flitting across his face. "Ass. I still can't believe he prefers money over his family."

Kimiko winced, her free hand gently stroking the one that was clasped within her own. She didn't know when she had moved it, or when she had shifted closer to the table. Practically leaning across it as she did her best to comfort him.

"Mum was really upset about it and my sister was really small. She didn't know what on Earth was going on or why dad had disappeared. She kept asking after him, which upset mum more. I ended up spending so much time comforting her or keeping my sister out of the way. Not much. But I was still young then and it was all I could do . . .

"My Aunt had kept in contact with us despite the fact that mum's parents had disowned her. She came over to help when she could but she was really busy. Either way, one day she was helping me with the chores, she looked over at me. She just stared at me for a while and then . . ."

He stopped, his face contorted with pain. His voice catching in his throat and, if she hadn't known better, she would have said there were tears in his eyes.

"Then she goes; 'Raimundo, you look just like your father.' I suppose it was her way of telling me that I was like him, too much like him. And I hated myself then because I'd been trying to help mum by being there for her and I'd probably made it worse."

Raimundo looked at Kimiko, who was so close he could smell her perfume from this morning, and he smiled weakly. Kimiko's grip on his hand tightened, but it wasn't painful but comforting. Comforting to know that, despite his greatest fear, she still believed in him.

"That's when I started playing pranks, you know. He was serious all the time, dad that is. Playing pranks and causing absolute havoc was just my way of proving that I wasn't him." He gave a hollow laugh. "But I messed up, huh? Because I ended up betraying you guys and, to be honest, you guys are like family to me. And I hurt you, my new family, despite the fact that I promised myself I wouldn't. Which was probably my lowest moment in life." Raimundo had raised his head now, his wide pain-filled eyes locked onto hers. The desperation in their depths so clear that Kimiko felt herself almost drowning in the pain she saw there.

"I'm sorry. I really am sorry. I didn't mean to and I really didn't want to hurt you. I won't to it again, I hope you know that. I don't want to hurt you either. And-"

He was afraid of hurting her. Of turning out to be like his dad. That's why he had been ignoring her advances because he didn't want to hurt her. Because he was scared he was going to turn out like his father and betray her in some way.

Kimiko frowned, jerking her hands from his. Reaching across the table she grabbed Raimundo's collar and yanked him forward. His stomach bumped into the side of the table while he suddenly found himself centre-metres away from Kimiko.

"Prat." She murmured before jamming her lips against his. It was a fierce kiss, one of repressed emotions and pent-up passions. She felt warmth spreading through her, from her head to her toes, flowing throughout her entire body before it settled in her stomach. Warming her insides as Raimundo's hands moved forward to curl around her waist, holding onto her territorially. One of her hands continued to cling to the front of his shirt while the other moved forward to trace his face. Her fingers brushing against his heated skin. Trembling, they separated a blush spreading across Kimiko's face. Raimundo smirked at the red flush on the Japanese girls face.

"Anyone ever tell you your to overconfident for your own could, girl?"

Kimiko glared, not that it really had an effect. Considering that she was half-sprawled across the table, her hands buried in his hair while his own were wrapped firmly round her waist.

"Shut up." She said before leaning and kissing him again.

Well, neither of them were very bored after that.

_End Boredom._

I am **so** unbelievably sorry about the lateness. I've had three pieces of coursework going at the moment, two physics and one chemistry. Urgh, I've handed one physics in so hopefully I'll have more time to write now. I'll try and update quicker from now on.

Thank you to Kingzilla, Kuki Salazar, Azure, They-Call-Me-Orange, Eat lollies and be happy, CrimsonCape, radient phoenix, ahhelga, Omi's girl13, Story Weaver1, cricketchick1990, angel-1844, Drigon, Boomishkittish, DeafLizgon, Kosmic, Tammy Tamborine, Mars Cutie. Who all reviewed the last chapter and to all the others that have reviewed this, so far. Your reviews mean a lot to me.

Kingzilla 3000** –** Thanks for the review. And the Shard of lighting is a shen gong wu that if your holding it when it flashes makes you incredibly fast but only for the time of the flash.

They-Call-Me-Orange – Rai with a dark past is interesting. Mainly because I think there's something more to Raimundo always wanting to prank people. And the fact that he went to join Wuya without a second thought makes me think there's more to him. It just doesn't add up. I've got one of two ideas for an AU which I might try out. I've never done a request before but I'll see what I can do.


	7. Movie Time

Title: Movie Time.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #26, if only I could make you mine.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

"_I care about you so much."_

Kimiko sniffed, clutching on tighter to the wad of tissues in her hands.

"_I dream of you, I daydream of you . . ."_

Kimiko sniffed once more, dabbing at her eyes which were beginning to water again. She was glad she hadn't worn mascara today.

"_If . . . If only I could make you mine."_

"Girl, are you seriously crying?"

Kimiko glanced over at her companion and instantly frowned. Raimundo was stretched back, feet propped up on the coffee table, crossed at the ankles. His hands were folded behind his head and his eyes were half-open, a bored expression on his face as he gazed at the TV screen.

"Rai! Don't say that! This is my _favourite_ movie!"

Kimiko had been really pleased when her father sent her a portable TV and DVD player for her birthday. She was even more pleased when Master Fung allowed her to set it up in one of the unused meditation rooms. And even though they couldn't get a signal Kimiko could still watch all her favourite movies. Which her Daddy had very kindly sent over as well.

In fact Kimiko had been so pleased with her present that she had decided to let Raimundo have the privilege of watching a movie with her. He sometimes got just as annoyed as she did when it came to being separated from the 'real world.' So instead of leaving the boys alone and holing herself up with her new DVD player, which had been her initial idea, she had invited Raimundo to join her.

Which was why she was very _very_ annoyed with him right now.

"This is your favourite movie? Kim, I thought you had taste!"

Glaring, Kimiko spun round to face the brunette.

"I have taste! It's you that doesn't know what he's talking about."

"Yeah I do. I'm talking about how bad your favourite movie is."

Kimiko scowled.

"Kim, this movie is rubbish."

"No it's not."

"Okay, give me one good reason why it's not."

Kimiko twisted to the side and snatched up the remote control. Hitting the pause button she turned back round to face Raimundo.

"Okay, the actors."

Raimundo cocked an eyebrow. "The actors?"

"Yeah, they're really well known."

"Yeah, perhaps for how bad at their job they are. That . . . blonde guy" Raimundo said, waving an arm in the direction of the TV where it was frozen on one of the main characters, who had a particularly wooden expression on his face, "Can't act to save his life. His mother was just murdered by his step-brother and he didn't even look phased."

Kimiko sniffed. "Fine. So maybe they're not the best actors in the world. But at least the plot's good."

Raimundo cocked an eyebrow at her, a smirk spreading across his face. "It has a plot?"

Growling Kimiko picked up a cushion and hit him with it. "Yes, this movie has a plot."

"Don't believe you."

"Well Daniel is finding life difficult at the moment, so he goes to visit his friend and ends up sleeping with her to cheer himself up, which doesn't really work, so he then goes to see his step sister and they end up making out, to make him feel better, which also doesn't work, and then he goes to see his mum who is being looked after by his childhood friend because she's ill at the moment and he suddenly realises that the reason he's depressed is because he loves her and-"

"They have sex?" Raimundo teased, smirk still firmly in place.

"Yeah but-"

"Kim, the entire plot is about watching this guy sleep with a dozen women. Not that interesting."

"Ooh you . . . It _is_ interesting."

Raimundo rolled his eyes and leaned further back into the cushions, a half smirk, half smile on his face.

"If it's so interesting why can't you name one interesting aspect?"

Snarling, Kimiko considered pummelling the boy into the ground and then tossing him out the room, never to return again. But realised that that would mean he had won. And Kimiko Toho never lost.

Never.

"Alright," She muttered, her stance shifting from 'defensive' to 'attack.' Clay had always said you could tell when Kimiko Toho was on the warpath, he had compared to a wild animal. A wild cat, not one of his bloody farm animals, and had said that she always seemed to tense and crouch before going in for the kill like the wild cats you saw on the Television Documentaries. And, despite the fact that she was sitting on the sofa, tissues in one hand and remote in the other, she still managed to do a pretty good 'attack' position.

Raimundo just grinned up at her, completely unfazed.

Ohhh, this was war!

"The Soundtracks good." She fired off.

"Please, it's worse then Clay singing." He spat back, fast as a bullet. Which surprised her as he was still lying there, looking completely relaxed. No guard up or anything. He didn't look like he was even listening to her but he still managed to spit out a witty retort. Oh he bugged her. He really really bugged her.

"The special effects."

"Rubbish. Omi could do better."

"The . . . costumes."

"Sure, if you appreciate bright, gaudy leather clothes."

The look Raimundo gave her quite clearly said that if she denied the fact that they costumes were gaudy he would tease her for the rest of her life. He always complained that her clothes were too bright. He was just waiting for her to say something, to deny it. The glint in his eyes was predatory.

She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

She humphed.

"The . . . the . . . script."

Raimundo cocked and eyebrow, folding his arms across his chest disbelievingly. Disappointed that she hadn't risen to the 'gaudy clothes' bait. "The script?"

"They have good lines."

"Like," Raimundo suddenly sat upright, clasping his hands in front of his chest dramatically. "'_If only I could make you mine._'" Dropping his hands into his lap, Raimundo smirked at her. "You wouldn't fall for a line like _that_ would you?"

"If . . . If the right person said it."

Raimundo blinked, all traces of humour suddenly vanishing. "You're joking right? I mean if some total stranger spewed you that rubbish, you'd fall for it?"

Kimiko flushed suddenly, gripping the tissue tightly in her hand she glared at him. "Well, at least this 'random stranger' would care enough to think of something to try and woo me with!"

Raimundo scowled. "Woo you? What, you want some sappy idiot to recite bad poetry? What about someone decent? Someone that wants more than your money and looks?"

"How-How dare you!" Kimiko spat, hurling the wad of tissues at his head furiously. "You can't go saying that. If I want a man that's prepared to go a little out of his way to pamper me, then it's got nothing to do with you. And how dare you suggest that I would care for someone that was just after my daddy's money? How dare you imply that no one would ever like me for who I am!"

Silence.

Nothing but the slight buzzing of the DVD Player. The distant chime of the bells that signalled the beginning of the Monk's meditation. The crackling of the fireplace as it flickered in its grate. Nothing, no words were spoken as Raimundo stared at the Japanese Girl before him. Her face flushed and her breath harsh and shallow as she glared at him.

"I never said that."

Kimiko blinked in surprise. "W-What?"

A sudden nervousness filled her. Reaching for the pillow beside her, Kimiko gripped onto the red cushion, fiddling with the golden tassels, her eyes warily locked onto to Raimundo. Though she wasn't sure why, she wasn't sure of anything at that moment. Other than the fact that the look in Raimundo's eyes scared her.

"I never said that no one would ever like you for who you were." Raimundo whispered, though his voice seemed to carry across the room. Echoing in her mind. His eyes, usually sparkling with mischief were serious, boring into her.

"Rai-Raimundo?" She wasn't sure what she was asking, what answer she wanted. All she knew was that his eyes, so beautifully green, so determined, so caring were making her pulse race and her body shake.

He stood, so suddenly that Kimiko jumped. He moved towards her, his footsteps sure and confident. Kimiko pulled the cushion to her chest, her heart pounding against her ribcage.

"No . . ."

"N-No?" Kimiko asked, her body trembling.

"No. I could never say that to you. It would be lying." Raimundo murmured, leaning in. One hand coming up to cup her check, his thumb gently rubbing the soft skin.

"Lying?" Kimiko chocked out, though she wasn't sure how. Her throat was parched, her lungs tight in her chest.

"Lying." Raimundo assured. His breath warm against her face, his lips centre metres from her own. And closing in. Kimiko's breath caught in her throat when Raimundo's lips pressed against her own. Warmth flooded her being, moving to settle in her stomach. Her hands which had been previously clasped around the pillow slowly let it go. Moving with a suddenness that surprised both her and Raimundo, she reached up and twined her arms round his neck pulling him down to meet her lips properly. He grunted, almost toppling over; before he leaned down wrapping his arms round her waist, pulling Kimiko up, flush against his body. Smiling against his lips Kimiko threw herself backwards, effectively bringing Raimundo down with her this time. The two landed on the couch in a mass of tangled limbs. Raimundo pulled his head up, though not too far, Kimiko hands in his hair prevented him from pulling back completely.

"Well," Kimiko purred, smiling up at the brunette, "That was nice."

Raimundo smirked. "Very nice indeed."

Kimiko's face suddenly light up. "I've got a reason."

The Dragon of Wind frowned suddenly, "What?"

"I've got a reason for liking my movie."

Raimundo snorted, leaning forward to rest his forehead against hers. "And what's that?"

"It got you to kiss me." She muttered before pulling him down to kiss him firmly on the lips.

The movie was left forgotten after that.

_End Movie Time._

I am so sorry that I haven't update in ages! I had writer's block and then I didn't like the version I actually did get around to writing, then there were exams, and then I had to rewrite the version I had done. But either way, it's done, it's posted and hopefully it will be enjoyed. I'll try and update within the week as an apology for not updating for so long. Bye-Bye.


	8. The Trouble with Homework

Title: The Trouble with Homework.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #17, kHz (kilohertz)

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

It was a normal day.

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, Clay was eating again, Omi was practising, Master Fun meditating, Raimundo off somewhere probably to plan a prank and they had just kicked evil's butt.

It was a good day. A normal day.

Not for much longer.

Humming to herself, Kimiko tapped away at her PDA as she wandered down the temple corridors. Keiko was going to call her tomorrow, she had a date with her new boyfriend today and Kimiko was dying to know what was happening, she had to go shopping soon for her mum's birthday present and –

A sigh. A loud sigh. A loud depressed sigh. Pausing Kimiko contemplating whether or not she should go and see who was going around sighing in a depressed way. She could help a friend and end up being cried upon for hours or keep walking.

Groaning mentally she stuffed her PDA into her pocket. Sometimes she really was to kind.

Turning she backtracked a few steps and peered her head round the door. She blinked in surprise when she saw who was before her. Raimundo was sprawled on his front, feet waving about in the air. His chin was propped up on his fist and he was peering into a huge book. His eyebrows were knitted together in confusion and he was fiddling with his medallion. A habit he did when he was nervous.

"Rai, what are you doing?"

The brunettes head jerked up at Kimiko's voice. And he frowned at her slightly before looking back down at the book.

"Reading."

Kimiko rolled her eyes and stepped just inside the door. "Reading what?"

A smirk. "A Book."

"Alright smartarse, exactly what kind of book are you reading and why are you reading it?"

Raimundo shifted slightly as Kimiko wandered over, her footsteps loud in the suddenly quiet room.

"A textbook. To learn."

"A text book? What for?" Kimiko asked, suddenly dropping herself beside Raimundo. Crossing her legs she learned forward, suddenly more interested. I mean Raimundo, studying? It was unheard of!

"Physics." Raimundo murmured dully.

Kimiko blinked. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you reading it?"

"My Mum told me to." Raimundo mumbled, leaning in closer to the book.

"Why?"

Raimundo rolled over onto his side and looked up at Kimiko. "Does it matter?"

Kimiko paused for a second before giving a stern nod. "Yes."

Raimundo chuckled and rolled back over onto his stomach. "My Mum doesn't seem to think that just learning Martial Arts is good enough. She wants me to keep up with my studies. So she sent lots of textbooks over for me to look at."

Kimiko laughed at the disgruntled look on Raimundo's face. Though to be honest, her parents felt the same. They had sent a number of interactive CD's for her laptop to keep her up to date. Sometimes they really bored her to pieces but she could live with it. She understood why her parents wanted her to keep her education up.

"Okay, so you have to study a bit as well as train. Is it really that bad?" Kimiko asked, twirling a strand of black hair around her finger.

Raimundo glanced up at her again briefly before looking down again, a faint pink tingeing his cheeks. "Well . . . I . . ."

"You . . . ?" Kimiko asked, cocking an eyebrow at the suddenly flustered boy.

Raimundo mumbled something into his book, not meeting her eyes. Kimiko frowned and leaned in closer. "I can't hear you."

"I said I don't get it! Physics is stupid! Stupid, I tell you. I don't get it in the slightest!"

Kimiko hid a grin behind a hand. It would just make the brunette angrier if he knew she found this amusing.

"Do you want some help?"

Raimundo paused, his entire body freezing; Kimiko could have sworn he had even stopped breathing. And then he was moving again, twisting around he levelled the Dragon of Fire with a surprisingly serious look.

"Do you really mean that?"

Kimiko huffed indignantly. "Of course I mean it."

Raimundo looked at her suspiciously. "You won't make fun of me if I don't get it?"

For some reason that comment stung a bit. "No."

A grin spread across Raimundo's face. A grin that made Kimiko feel all warm and bubbly inside. As if someone had just lit a fire inside of her. And it really was a fire because she was blushing hotly. For a reason she didn't get. Raimundo's grin shouldn't make her blush.

"Brilliant. Can you explain why the Hell the answer to Question Five is 24 KHz?"

Kimiko grinned and leaned forward to lie down next to Raimundo. Pulling the book towards her Kimiko quickly scanned the text.

"Alright." Kimiko muttered, finding what she was looking for in the book. "You start off by . . ."

It took a while to explain it to him and she ended up spending the rest of the afternoon helping him through the rest of the chapter. For some odd reason, she didn't really mind. Usually she would have complained endlessly that she could have spent the time working out what she needed to buy on her next shopping trip or planning her next outfit. But she didn't mind it. Lying on the floor next to Raimundo, the sun spilling in through the window. The place quiet apart from their soft chatter and Raimundo's beautiful laugh. It wasn't too bad actually. Damnit, she was blushing again.

Raimundo stretched, his back clicking as he did so. Looking over at Kimiko, who was now lying on her back with the book dangling before her nose, he grinned.

"You can stop reading that now."

Kimiko stopped reading to look at him.

"Oh?"

"I've done more than enough today. We can stop."

"We can?"

"Sure," Raimundo said, grinning over at the Japanese girl. "You can help me more tomorrow."

Kimiko frowned, dropping the book she sat up, folding her arms across her chest. "No way."

"Ah, come on Kim." Raimundo whined, pouting in a way that made Kimiko's stomach summersault. "I need you."

Kimiko blushed, why that comment made her blush was beyond her. But it did. She could feel her face growing hotter and hotter. Damnit she looked awful when she blushed. And for some reason she didn't want Raimundo to see her blushing. It didn't matter that he had seen her at some of her worst moments or that he watched as she got tossed around into mud and other such substances. All that mattered was the _now_. And now was she looked awful.

Still glaring at Raimundo, Kimiko clamped her hands over her face. Hoping to keep her bright red cheeks and nose from Raimundo's view.

"Girl, what are you doing?" Raimundo asked, a surprised and somewhat worried look on his face.

Kimiko blushed more.

Raimundo shook his head and crawled over. "Kim, what the Hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I just . . . look stupid when I blush."

"One, why the Hell are you blushing? And Two, why do you think you look stupid?"

"I do!" Kimiko said, annoyed, completely ignoring the first question. She couldn't even explain that one to her herself let alone him.

"No, you don't." Raimundo said, crawling even closer to Kimiko. Stopping just in front off her he leant back a bit, a small encouraging smile on his face.

"Whatever, you're an idiot you don't know anything. Besides you didn't get a proper look. I'm too quick for you."

The smile on Raimundo's face disappeared; Kimiko ignored the sudden disappointment that filled her. Why she was disappointed was just beyond her, so what if he looked cute and hot with that stupid smile on his face, it didn't mean she should be _disappointed_ of all things to see it go.

Suddenly serious, Raimundo stretched his hands forward. "Sure thing Princess."

"Rai!" Kimiko yelled, trying to back away while still keeping her hands clamped over her burning face. "What are you doing?"

"You said I didn't get a proper look." Raimundo murmured, crawling after her. "So I'm getting one now."

Kimiko opened her mouth to tell Raimundo off but all that came out was a strangled scream as Raimundo's hands landed on her wrists. Her blush grew as Raimundo neared, tugging on her wrists.

"Leggo!"

Raimundo smirked. "No."

He tugged harder; Kimiko glared and tried to shuffle backwards. Then quite suddenly Raimundo let go with one hand and reached forward towards her stomach, a smug smirk was the only warning she got before he began to move.

Kimiko laughed.

Raimundo, who had a few months ago during a training session discovered that Kimiko was extremely ticklish, smirked and continued to wiggle his fingers back and forth. Kimiko laughed again, louder, her eyes were beginning to water and she was certain that she was about to cry any moment. And aside from totally ruining her make-up it would make her eyes red and puffy. And that was _so_ not a state she wanted Rai to see her in. But she was damned if she was going to give in without a fight.

However there's only so much one can do when you can't use your hands and you're kneeling so you can't kick the idiot that's tickling you. Still laughing, Kimiko tried to turn her head away from Raimundo, it didn't work. The hand that was still clamped round her wrist held her firmly in place.

"R-Rai, qu-quit it!"

"Hmm," Raimundo said thoughtfully, cocking his head to the side to add to the affect. "Nope."

His hand moved from her stomach to her side and Kimiko almost toppled over backwards with laughter as he resumed his attack. Kimiko shrieked and let go off her face to knock Raimundo's hands away. With a growl she leaned forward grabbing both his wrist and slamming into his chest at the same time. He toppled over, Kimiko on top of him, his hands interlaced with her own.

"Jerk! Don't do that!" She panted, trying to get her breathing back under control. The brunette, however completely ignored her. He was instead staring at her with a rare genuine thoughtful expression.

"Rai?" Kimiko asked, still breathless. She stared at him and suddenly found herself drawn to his eyes. Dark, jade green eyes. Pretty dark, jade green eyes.

"I don't understand why you don't like people seeing you blush. You look real cute."

Kimiko, who had until that moment completely forgotten the reason why Raimundo had been tickling her, suddenly realised that her cheeks were still flushed from all the laughing. And that it was pretty much the same as blushing which didn't really matter now as she was blushing and did Raimundo just call her cute and why was that making her blush and –

"I-Idiot, I look stupid."

"No," Raimundo said, shaking his head, "You don't. You look beautiful." And, as if to prove his point, he suddenly leaned up and planted his lips on hers.

Kimiko was momentarily stunned.

Only momentarily mind you. Her first thought was to smash his face in, he was invading her personal space after all, a big no-no in her books. Her second thought was that Raimundo was an extremely good kisser and the kiss she was presently sharing with him was very very nice. The third was that Raimundo was in fact kissing her, why the Hell was he kissing _her_? Her next thought was that she was actually rather enjoying this and her suddenly weird thoughts about Raimundo recently somehow all made sense now. Her Final thought before she quite promptly returned the kiss was something along the lines of who gives a damn? And she presently dropped herself onto his chest and buried her hands in his hair.

They didn't separate for quite some time and when they did Kimiko made no effort to get off the brunette. Instead she began to wave her legs back and forth in the air, her fingers tracing designs on his chest. Raimundo just continued to smirk at her. His stupid smug smirk. Well there was no way she was going to let him get one over her even if saying that she didn't think her blush wasn't stupid would get her a kiss.

"I'll have to help you with your homework more often Rai."

The Dragon of the Wind smirked and grabbed the back off her head pulling her down to his lips once more. But Kimiko wasn't really complaining. But some part of her doubted that she'd ever be able to help him with his homework again without ending up making out with him.

Which actually wasn't a bad thing at all.

_End The Trouble with Homework._

All right, here it is. Within the week like I promised, home you liked it.


	9. Perfect World

Title: Perfect World.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #8, our own world.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

_First off, I apologise for it being late. I was in Wales, water-skiing, and then came back for a few days before I was off to St Ives. And then it was off to France and when I came back I hadn't done any of my homework so I had to do all that and then school started and _that_ was hectic. I know it's really no excuse but I'm really sorry and I'll try to be better in the future._

"AMULET OF GENMU!"

**Flash!**

"_Kimiko!_"

Four people screamed her name, not that she heard it.

Raimundo was the loudest.

And the fastest.

It took him the better part of all three seconds to shoot up into the air and catch the falling girl. Jack Spicer's laughter was ringing in his ears as he cradled the petit Japanese girl closer to his chest. The laughter quickly stopped when he was hit by a fierce whirl wind which sent him flying towards Omi and Clay. Who quickly proceeded to beat Jack Spicer to within a inch of his life.

Raimundo left them to it. He had more important things to do.

Landing, he gently lowered the unconscious girl onto the ground. Biting his lip he stared at her. It looked like there was nothing wrong with her. She had a few scrapes from the showdown earlier but nothing serious. In fact, if he didn't know any better, he would say she was sleeping. Her hair had come undone form its ponytail and was arranged messily around her head. She never wore her hair up to bed, and odd habit that she always kept to so it almost looked like she had been planning on taking a nap. Her eyes were closed and there was an almost-smile on her lips as if she was having a good dream.

What the _Hell_ had that Shen Gong Wu done to her?

"Dojo?"

The green dragon, who had been carefully picking his way across the battlefield, slithered to a halt in front of the brunette.

"Dojo, what's wrong with her?"

The dragon frowned and looked up at the boy.

"Spicer said Amulet of Genmu, right?"

Raimundo nodded.

Dojo winced.

Raimundo _scowled_.

"Alright, if you don't tell me what's wrong with her this second I swear to God I will-"

"Hey, hey take it easy," Dojo yelled, waving his arms around frantically. "I just had to make sure, okay?"

Raimundo glared clearly saying that it was not okay in the _slightest_. Kimiko was unconscious and he wanted to know _why_.

"The Amulet of Genmu traps a person within their mind."

"Within their mind?" Omi asked, walking over with Clay, having finished dealing with Spicer, who was fiddling with his hat nervously. "How does that work?"

"And why the Hell is she smiling!" Raimundo snapped, eyeing the girl who was now grinning widely.

"I'd explain it if you would _let_ me." Dojo snapped, clearly annoyed at the interruption.

All three dragons-in-training fell silent as they waited for the explanation.

"The Amulet of Genmu traps the person within their own mind without them knowing it." Omi opened his mouth to ask how that was possible or something to that degree. What, however, was never known as both Raimundo and Clay's hands shot out to cover the smallest member's mouth.

"It reads what their greatest desires are and feeds them an image of it happening. It picks up off immediately from where they left the conscious world but it gives them everything they want. So Kimiko probably beat Jack Spicer then we all went home and well . . ." Dojo shrugged, clearly indicating that he didn't know Kimiko's most heartfelt desires.

"You're telling me," Clay said in his southern drawl, "That Kim is now living out her life in her head?"

"Yep," Dojo muttered. "But everything she ever wanted is happening which is why it's so effective. It's kinda like . . . well, when you have a bad nightmare, you want to wake up and so usually force yourself into doing that. A good dream however, you're quite content to continue with, meaning that you don't want to wake up. So the person living out their life's wants wont fight the Wu's magic."

The boys nodded their heads in understanding, eyeing their comatose friend.

"So . . ." Raimundo said, eyeing the Dragon. "How do we wake her up?"

Dojo stared at Raimundo for a while before reply incredibly, "Why would I know?"

_Jack Spicer hadn't stood a chance against her. Smiling, Kimiko skipped into her room. Dropping onto her bed, she yanked out her PDA and began to check out her e-mail. She jumped slightly when a knock sounded outside her door._

"_Who is it?"_

"_Raimundo."_

_Grinning to herself, Kimiko felt a blush spreading across her cheeks. She always liked spending time with the brunette, even if she didn't make it _too_ obvious._

"_Coming."_

_Dropping her PDA onto her bed, she walked over to the door and yanked the curtain open. And quite promptly blushed. Raimundo was centre meters from her. Leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest and his most charming smile on his face. The one that made her knees go weak and her pulse race._

"_What's up Rai?"_

"_I wanted to congratulate you on your splendid thrashing of Jack Spicer."_

"_Oh, really?" Kimiko drawled, starting to smile._

"_Really," Raimundo drawled back, grinning. "I would like to congratulate you by taking you out for ice-cream."_

_Kimiko laughed. "You asking me out on a date, Rai?"_

_The brunette's smile suddenly turned serious. "And if I am?"_

_Kimiko blushed, eyeing the brunette. "Then my answer would be yes."_

_Grinning, Raimundo pushed himself off the doorframe. "Great, pick you up in two hours, kay?"_

_Leaning in, he brushed his lips against her cheek before spinning on his heel and walking off down the corridor. Giddy with happiness, Kimiko stepped back inside her room. She couldn't wait to tell her Mama that the boy she liked had _finally_ asked her out!_

It had taken Clay and Omi a while to get Raimundo to stop trying to kill the small green Dragon. It had taken them even longer to get Raimundo to stop glaring at Dojo and muttering death threats under his breath every five seconds.

"I'm afraid," Master Fung said, making all three boys wince as he entered the room. Staring a sentence off with 'I'm afraid' is _never_ a good thing. "That the scroll does not say anything about how to wake someone from the effects of Amulet of Genmu."

"How is that possible?" Raimundo demanded, fists clenching.

"It was not a Shen Gong Wu that was used a lot."

"So we're gonna have tah think of a way to wake her up ourselves?" Clay asked. Master Fung nodded, frowning.

"I will go and discuss this with the other monks. Please continue to think about what you plan to do as well."

The three remaining monks watched their Master leave the room, annoyance written on all their faces.

"Well," Omi said, turning to face his companions. "What shall we do?"

Groaning Raimundo, pushed himself backwards, landing spread-eagled on the floor. Closing his eyes the brunette suggested, "How about killing Spicer?"

"Though a nice idea, ah don't think that's gonna work, partner." Clay murmured; a small smile on his face.

"If only we could tell her." Raimundo muttered, "If you know you're having a dream it means you can fight it. Kimiko has no idea."

"Raimundo! That is it!" Omi yelled, jumping to his feet.

The brunette sat up, cocking an eyebrow at the joyful monk. "What's it?"

"We send one of us to sleep as well!"

"Err . . . how's that gonna help us partner?" Clay asked, pushing the rim of his hat up so he could eye Omi curiously.

"Because the other person would join Kimiko in the same make-believable world."

"How'd you figure that?"

"When two or more of us hold onto a Shen Gong Wu and activate it we all share the same power. I bet that the Amulet of Genmu cannot affect us all separately and would make a world where both the people got what they desired!"

"This," Raimundo muttered, "might just work."

"Yeah, but we need the Shen Gong Wu, right? And Jack Spicer has that."

Grinning, Raimundo jumped to his feet.

"That, Clay," Raimundo said, clapping the cowboy on the back. "Is why we are going to pay our dear friend, Jack Spicer a little visit."

_Kimiko flattened her skirt for the seventh time in the last minute and eyed her nail polish again. Hoping that none of it had chipped. Raimundo was late by a grand total of five minutes but she couldn't help but worry that he might stand her up. What if he didn't like her outfit? What if he suddenly decided he didn't want to go out with her? Or worse, it was some huge elaborate plan to humiliate her? What if –_

"_Sorry I'm late girl; Master Fung was telling me off for running in the hallways again."_

_Turning round Kimiko grinned to herself. Raimundo was dressed in a pair of tight back jeans and an emerald green t-shirt. Kimiko mentally applauded herself. Firstly, for not drooling at the sight of Raimundo in his new outfit and second, for her choice in outfit. She was wearing purple with a few splashes of green. Green and purple went _so_ well together and her green even matched _his_ green. _

"_So," Raimundo said, extending an arm. "Shall we go?"_

_Grinning, Kimiko hooked her arm through his and they set off._

After quite happily breaking into Jack Spicer's lair and threatening him until he handed over the Wu the group decided to get to work.

"So, how do we go about this?" Clay asked, eyeing the Wu. It was silver in colour and looked like a mini handheld mirror. Apart from it didn't show you your reflection; in fact it wasn't showing much at all. The circle in the middle was a simple, plain, white.

"This is stupid." Raimundo stated. Clay nodded in agreement. For the past ten minutes they had been staring at the tiny Wu trying to work out what to do. They hadn't been able to find much about the Wu in the scroll. And so had decided to work out how to use it themselves, so far it was going very well.

"We're getting absolutely nowhere." Once again Clay nodded at Raimundo's statement.

Leaning down the brunette picked the Wu up and held it out.

"So, um, do you just point it at who you want to knock out and yell its name? Or do you need to concentrate or something?" Raimundo asked, waving it around. The Dragon of Wind blinked when words flashed onto the white surface when he waved it in front of Omi.

"Huh?"

"What is it Raimundo?"

"Hold still." The Dragon of Wind replied, holding the Wu in Omi's direction. Words wrote themselves across the white surface in elegant black handwriting.

'_Omi's Desires located. You may activate the Amulet of Genmu.'_

"Huh, I suppose that make sense."

"What makes sense, Raimundo?"

"Well," Raimundo said, handing the Wu over to Clay. "It tells you when it's located someone's desire. Which makes sense because if you just activated it normally without targeting someone specifically you would knock everyone out, including yourself."

Clay nodded as he tested it, quickly handing it Omi, who began waving it around.

"So . . . who's joining Kimiko in dream-land?"

_Kimiko grinned as Raimundo handed her the ice-cream he had just bought. Beaming at her he turned back to his own treat, strawberry though Kimiko had always been a chocolate fan herself, and started to eat. Smiling, Kimiko started to walk in step with Raimundo, her new _boyfriend

_Kimiko suppressed a delighted laugh. How long had she been waiting for Rai to make a move? How long had she been subtly flirting with him? Waiting for him to finally work out why she spent so much of her free time with him? It was about time he finally got round to it and she was enjoying her just desserts._

"_So, where next Kim? Movie?"_

_Smiling the petite Japanese girl turned to face the brunette, murmuring, "There's a new Horror movie that's just been released that I would like to see."_

"_Horror Movie?" Raimundo asked, cocking an eyebrow at her._

_Kimiko turned a rather wicked grin on her companion. "You're not _scared_ are you Rai?"_

_Raimundo smirked. "Oh no, I was worried about you."_

"_Oh?"_

"_If you got scared I was going to be there for you but . . ." Raimundo murmured, turning away. Grinning Kimiko, deciding that she suddenly liked this new game, ran after Raimundo. Wrapping her arms round one of his, she pulled herself in close._

"_Well, when you say it like _that_ I might get a little scared."_

"_You sure, girl?" Raimundo muttered, turning round to face her, pulling his arms free at the same time. He now used his recently liberated arm to wrap around Kimiko's waist and pull her in close. Kimiko blushed slightly but continued grinning up at the brunette._

"_I mean, I've never pegged you as the type that would be afraid of a horror movie."_

"_Maybe I just like the attention I get for being scared." She whispered, running a hand down Raimundo's arm, her eyes following the path. She felt herself almost blushing again when she noted how tanned he had become in the past few weeks. Kimiko tried to tear herself away from the sight of his body, before she started doing something embarrassing like thinking about how nicely toned he was and – She looked up and realised, with a jolt, that Raimundo was leaning in to kiss her. Smiling, she closed her eyes, patiently waiting for the brunette's lips to press against her own._

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Raimundo muttered, sitting himself down next to Kimiko. Clay hid a grin behind one gloved hand and took a few steps back.

"You're the best person for the job besides you'll more than likely be there already partner." Clay murmured, though the last part was more to himself than Raimundo.

"What?" The brunette asked, looking up at Clay in confusion.

"Never mind, ya ready?"

"I suppose so." Raimundo muttered sulkily, leaning over he picked Kimiko's hand up. Lacing her fingers with his, he brought their now woven hands towards him.

"I'm all set." Raimundo said, eyeing the two before him. They nodded and Omi held out the Amulet of Genmu.

Just before Omi spoke Raimundo turned to face the sleeping Japanese girl. "You are _so_ gonna owe me for this."

"**Amulet of Genmu!**"

_His lips were coming closer. Closer, closer . . . She had been waiting for this for so long. Too long. _

Raimundo's world flickered black then back to the picture of Omi and Clay then to Kimiko then back to the boys then back to her. It was as if the Wu was having a hard time adding him to Kimiko's Dream-World. He supposed it would have something to do with the fact that he hadn't entered this dream world at the same time as her. Groaning, Raimundo screwed his eyes tightly shut, this just had to work!

_She could feel his breath, warm against her lips, as he slowly leaned in towards her. Without realising it Kimiko sucked in a breath and held it and –_

"_Kim!"_

_The shout of joy and delighted surprise made Kimiko's eyes shoot open. She looked up at Raimundo who was grinning down at her, a pleased look on his face._

"_Rai . . . ?" She mumbled, confused as to why he had suddenly stopped. She wanted her kiss, thank you very much._

"_Brilliant, I made it."_

"_Made it?" Kimiko asked, her nose wrinkling in confusion. "What are you on about Rai? Made what? Why did you stop?"_

_Unwrapping his arms from around her Raimundo leaned in close, holding her by the shoulders._

"_Okay, what I'm about to tell you is going to sound a bit ridiculous but you have to listen to me okay?" Raimundo asked, waiting for her affirmative nod before continuing. "Jack Spicer used his new Wu on you and-"_

"_It didn't work; he obviously hadn't practised with it enough. You saw me kick his ass."_

"_No, Kim," Raimundo murmured, a slightly panicked look on his face, "The Wu worked, alright? It puts the person it's used against into a dream world. They go to sleep and start dreaming their life away starting from the very second it left off. Which is why you think you beat Jack. In reality you fell quite a few feet and nearly smashed against the ground because you suddenly went to sleep. This dream world gives the person everything they want. Which is why no one ever wakes up form the dreams because they're happy. We're trapped in our own world where everything we want is given to us."_

_Kimiko trembled slightly, a sense of foreboding filling her. "Then how come you're here?"_

"_We took the Wu off Spicer and Omi used it on me. We hoped it wouldn't be able to construct two different realities and merge ours. So that I would end up with you in your dream world."_

_Kimiko snorted. "How do you know you are not in your own dream world?"_

"_Because it starts off from where you left off and me, Clay and Omi would be sitting in the main room. And then you would come bouncing in, no longer under the effect of this stupid Shen Gong Wu. Now come on girl, we have to wake up."_

_Feeling slightly sick, Kimiko turned a glare on the boy before her. "How?"_

"_I-I," Raimundo paused slightly then swore violently in his native language. "We didn't think about that before the zapped me with the Wu. Bloody Hell!"_

"_Smart." Kimiko muttered under her breath. She couldn't believe that this had all been some kind of dream. It – it was so nice and –perfect, oh god, too perfect and -_

"_Yo Girl!"_

_Snapping round Kimiko arched an eyebrow at Raimundo. "What?"_

"_When you have a bad nightmare, and you can tell it's a dream, you can sorta force yourself to wake up. We'll do that."_

"_Oh really?" Kimiko drawled, stuffing her hands in her pockets. "What if I like _this_ dream?"_

_She was only doing it to annoy him but Raimundo took it seriously. His face was suddenly solemn and the look he levelled her with made her stomach churn with apprehension._

"_Because as wonderful as it is here. It will all just be given to you on a silver platter. Don't you really want your own life? Where everything you get you worked hard for? Don't you want a real husband and family and not just an imaginary one?"_

_Kimiko blushed slightly and rolled her eyes at him._

"_Yeah, whatever, let's get out of her."_

_Closing their eyes the pair focused on waking up and-_

"Raimundo! Kimiko! You have awakened!"

"Yo Omi, turn it down a notch!" Raimundo grumbled clamping a hand over one ear. He would have used both but the other one was still holding onto Kimiko's. Or rather she was holding onto him. Her grip was tight and he doubted that he could pry his hand free, even if he wanted to.

Sitting up slowly, he looked over at Kimiko. Who was lying on the floor with a dazed expression on her face.

"Kimiko? Ya okay partner?" Clay asked waking over towards them. Kimiko said nothing. Omi frowned and bent over, eyeing her.

"Kimiko?"

"Kim? You with us girl?"

Blushing suddenly she sat bolt up right. Wrenching her hand from Raimundo's she scrambled to her feet and ran for the door.

The three gazed after her, surprise etched on their faces.

"Well . . . Ah guess it must of been a bit of a shock." Clay muttered under his breath.

Slowing down Kimiko continued to make her way down the corridor at a more sedate pace. She felt as if there was a gaping void inside her. Not having something wasn't nearly as bad as being given it and then having that something taken away. Sighing, Kimiko shook her head. It was not the time to be thinking of this.

"Hey, Girl! Wait up!"

Turning round, Kimiko fought down a blush. Raimundo was running after her, she paused until he reached her then continued walking.

"Hey." She replied as he fell into step with her, his hands now stuffed casually into his pockets as per usual, as they continued their walk towards their rooms. Kimiko snuck a glance at her companion from beneath her bangs, perhaps he hadn't realised she had wanted to kiss him or go out with him.

She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Snapping her face around she ground to a halt in front of her curtained-off room. Turning to Raimundo she opened her mouth to say something when a pair of lips pressed against her own. It was a chaste kiss. But in the few seconds she managed to note down how soft and gentle the lips against her were. How it made butterflies erupt in her stomach and make a hot blush spread across her cheeks.

Blinking in surprise, Kimiko stared up at Raimundo who was bending over slightly, a delighted grin etched onto his face.

"For the kiss I owed you earlier."

Winking at her, Raimundo stepped into his room. Leaving Kimiko standing there stupefied, her hand pressed to her lips. Grinning Kimiko turned on her heel and skipped into her room.

Who needed a dream-world? Here life was perfect as it was.

_End Perfect World_

Hm, this one is . . .well. I don't usually write the other characters in. There's usually quite a bit of comedy in the show and I find it hard to write the humorous group dynamics. Especially Dojo, I can never write a good Dojo. And it's quite long; the whole idea needed quite a bit of explaining. And I'm not sure if the stuff about the Shen Gong Wu would really work. But hey, best to explore, right? Anyway, here it is. I hope you liked it.

Genmu means dreams; visions; phantasms in Japanese. I was going to use Chinese but I couldn't find a good translator and I have a good Japanese one so . . .


	10. In Your Arms

Title: In your Arms.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #22, cradle.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

It was cold.

Yes, cold, that was what the water was; cold.

And horrible.

He'd never much liked water, maybe because he didn't get along so well with Omi.

Either way, he defiantly didn't like it now.

He hadn't meant to get his foot caught. Really, he hadn't, it was that bloody Spicer and his ridiculous inventions. Honestly, shooting goo at people? Though, it seemed to work as he hadn't been able to move and then it had been too late. Because the giant robotic fist had suddenly swung into him, completely knocking the air out of him. And tearing him from the goo. That had hurt; his legs had been wrenched painfully from the sticky blue substance. He was almost positive that he had torn a few ligaments. And he was certain that the bloody robot had broken a few of his ribs as well. And he had been soaring through the air, too dazed to so much as think of flying.

And then he had hit the water.

He had hit it _hard_ as well. So hard in fact he had gasped instinctively, too out of it to realise what he was doing, and water had filled his lungs. And he had started to choke, even more bubbles of precocious air slipping from his mouth as more water forced its way in.

And the water was cold and wet and horrible and he was sinking. Too tired to fight back, his leg was throbbing painfully as his lungs began to burn.

He was going to die.

Raimundo almost snorted. This was kinda pathetic really. He had hoped he'd have gone out with a bit of a flare. But here he was, sinking to the bottom of the ocean, about to die all by himself.

There was a sudden flash of light from above and Raimundo looked up blearily. Through the murky darkness of the water he could swear he could see bright flashes of light. Which must mean that the others had defeated that ridiculous robot. Good. Stupid Jack Spicer that would . . . show . . . him.

And Raimundo suddenly found it hard to keep his eyes open. Though it didn't really matter, everything was going black anyway. Blinking desperately Raimundo made a last-ditch attempt to swim. But his limbs were so tired and his lungs were burning. And he just didn't _care_ any more. And as the darkness began to close in he could have sworn he felt a hand grabbing his own and was almost certain he could see a shiny yellow head.

And then he saw no more.

"Rai!"

Oh god, he hurt.

Raimundo coughed, his lungs were contracting painfully as water spewed from his mouth. Groaning, someone rolled him over, rubbing a hand up and down his back as he tried to stay awake. His chest was hurting and his leg was unbelievably painful and he really just wanted to sleep. He was so damn tired he couldn't even muster the energy to open his _eyes_. But he couldn't sleep; some part of him knew he couldn't sleep not just yet. But he was so tired and he was still coughing and it was so painful and –

"It's okay Rai, its okay." That was Kimiko. He recognised her voice and the small hands that were running up and down his back.

"It's okay, you're safe now." She murmured, her tone soft. And as much as he was glad she was paying attention to him, he really didn't want to be babied. So he opened his mouth to tell her this and started to cough. Again.

Kimiko made a soft cooing sound, which took Raimundo completely by surprise, and pulled him into her arms. Pressing his face against her shoulder, cradling him against her as if he was the most delicate thing in the world right now. And Raimundo didn't like being babied but here, in Kimiko's arms, the coughing didn't see so bad, and his legs wasn't as painful and he could barely feel his broken ribs any more. So he would let it pass, this time.

"I don't believe it! Raimundo takes a little tumble into the water and you're all over him Kimiko!"

Raimundo had the sudden urge to open his mouth and yell at Spicer and ask him if _he_ wanted to be hit into the water with a giant robotic fist? And let's see how much _you_ enjoy it!

But Kimiko beat him to it.

"You arrogant good-for-nothing little pansy of a boy. Raimundo almost drowned and I'm making sure he's alright, you stupid irritating ass!"

And despite the fact that Kimiko had pretty much just yelled right in his ear Raimundo smirked.

"Smirking, huh? You with me Rai?"

The brunette nodded against her shoulder, too tired to reply just yet.

"Good, stay with me okay."

He felt a hand run through his hair, ruffling it. "Omi and Clay are almost finished with Spicer. We'll be going home soon, okay?"

Raimundo nodded again, pressing himself closer to Kimiko. He had suddenly realised how cold he was. Really, really cold in fact. So cold that he was beginning to shake.

"Rai?" The worried question was accompanied by a hand running down his face. Fingers gently tracing his check.

"Rai, are you okay?"

"C-Co-ld." Raimundo managed to mutter round suddenly chattering teeth. Which was ridiculous, he shouldn't be cold. They weren't even in a very cold country but here he was shivering like a little kid. The thought that it was rather embarrassing crossed his mind then –

He was suddenly warmer, the arms that were wrapped round him were rising in temperature. Even in his half-dead state Raimundo realised that Kimiko must be using her control over fire to heat her body up and, in turn, heat him up as well. A hand was pressed to his forehead, as Kimiko made a thoughtful clucking sound with her tongue. The hand moved up to gently brush back a few of the wet strands of hair that were clinging to his forehead before retreating to curl round him again.

"It's okay now Rai. You can go to sleep if you want."

Sighing slightly as he began to warm up again, Raimundo buried his face in her shoulder and allowed sleep to finally claim him.

When he woke up again he was in his room. Though it took him a while to realise this and even longer for him to wander _why_ he was suddenly in his room and feeling like absolute rubbish. A sudden rush of memories – ohcrapRobotpainsinkingchocking –hit Raimundo and he tried very hard to sit up

And failed spectacularly.

It was probably, Raimundo reasoned, partly due to the fact he had almost died – stupid Jack Spicer - and was still probably pretty weak from the experience. The other reason was in the form of one Kimiko Toho.

Raimundo turned his head to the side, staring at the petit Japanese girl. She was curled beside his bed, her feet tucked beneath her. Her head was pillowed on one of her arms, while the other was stretched across Raimundo's bed, with his hand clasped tightly in hers.

The brunette blinked.

Kimiko stayed right where she was and didn't fade like he expected a normal hallucination to do.

Which meant she was real.

He really hadn't expected to see Kimiko like this and certainly not because of him. Obviously tired because there was no way anyone who wasn't tired could fall asleep in that position. And there were black smudges under her eyes which definitely weren't some new weird make-up style. And she was clinging to him in her sleep so she had to be tired because she was _worried_ about him. Which was odd and unusual and totally unexpected but he wasn't really about to complain.

Because despite the fact that it was odd and unusually and totally unexpected it was . . . nice. Oh God, had he hit his head too? But it was _nice_ because she was worried which meant she cared. Which was good. Very good in fact. And . . . and this was getting him no where.

Shifting onto his side, with a great amount of difficultly and pain for such a simple task, Raimundo turned to face her. Sighing he reached out hesitantly to brush a stray strand of hair back behind her ear where it belonged. Because really, despite the fact that she was tired and had messy hair which was falling out of its pigtails, she looked downright . . . cute. And it shouldn't be cute. She wasn't _allowed_ to be cute. He had trouble dealing with her on the rare occasions she was cute when he wasn't dead tired like now. He just knew he'd make a right idiot of himself if she woke up now.

Chuckling to himself about the absurdity of the situation Raimundo almost jumped when a voice sounded in the room.

"Rai!" The brunette started and turned his head sharply to look at Kimiko who was blinking sleepily at him. Using the hand that wasn't clasped around his to rub her eyes. Great, just what he needed. She was looking cute. Again. "You're awake."

"That's kinda obvious girl." Raimundo muttered, or would have muttered had his voice not come out as a rasp. Coughing, Raimundo brought one hand up to his throat and pained look on his face.

"Oh, poor Rai. You're throat must still hurt." Kimiko said, letting go of his hand she turned to the side and picked up one of the few bottle sitting beside her. Which he hadn't noticed till now. Wow. That was a lot of drugs. No wonder he felt so dopey.

"Okay," She said taking a white tablet out of a small brown bottle. "Take this one; it should help with the cough."

When Raimundo made no move to take the offered tablet she frowned at him. Raimundo said nothing; he didn't like drugs. His parents were into all that homeopathic stuff and it had rubbed off him. He wasn't going to take some random bunch of tablets. No way.

Almost as if she could read his thoughts Kimiko grabbed his uninjured hand and forced the tablet into it. "Take it."

"Now." She added as Raimundo opened his mouth to protest, "It's only going to make you better."

"I don't like this kinda medicine." Raimundo muttered as the Japanese girl forced a glass of water, that seemed to appear from nowhere to Rai, into his hand.

"I know." Kimiko said matter-of-factly as she shuffled over to pick up another bottle and began to undo the top. "That's why I had Daddy check out all the drugs and their backgrounds when the Doctor prescribed them to you. They're all okay."

"Oh." Raimundo said, because there really wasn't much else to say, and he popped the tablet in his mouth and downed it was a mouthful of water.

Leaning over he placed the glass back beside Kimiko who was still fighting with the bottle.

"Kim?"

"Yeah?"

"How long have I mean asleep for?"

"Four Days."

Raimundo nodded slowly.

"Kim?"

"Hm?"

"How many of those days have you been watching over me?"

The Japanese girl hunched over the bottle slightly, freezing for a second before she continued her attempt to open the bottle. She didn't answer the question.

Sighing, Raimundo leant over, ignoring the sharp pain in his ribs at the movement, and hit her back lightly. The Dragon of Fire glowered at him over her shoulder and he smiled. Here was his Kimiko. Plucking the bottle from her hands, Raimundo pressed down on the top and twisted. The cap came off in his hands.

Smirking he handed the bottle back to the disbelieving Dragon. "Child-proof lock Kim."

Scowling at him she tipped two tablets into her hand and shoved them towards Raimundo. Who took them and the glass of water, which was partly splattered across his bedding from the force Kimiko had shoved it at him, and swallowed the two tablets. Handing the glass back to Kimiko, Raimundo winced at the pain in his throat. It surprised him that swallowing water had hurt. Though maybe it was those two tablets they were pretty big and it had felt like they had got lodged somewhere in his throat. He looked up at Kimiko who was staring rather avidly at him, concern etched on her face.

Raimundo smirked. "You gonna answer the question?"

Scowling, Kimiko pressed a hand to his shoulder and gently, despite the look of outrage on her face, pressed him back down to lie on the bed.

"For four days." She muttered as she pulled the covers up around him.

Raimundo almost bit right through his tongue in an effort not to say anything. He knew it would come out sounding stupid or insulting. And he didn't want to do that, especially after she put to so much effort into taking care of him.

Sighing, Raimundo relaxed into the mattress and began to adjust the blankets to the way he liked them. Wriggling under the heavy covers Raimundo felt a tickle start at the back of his throat. Pressing his lips together Raimundo tried to suppress the coughs that were suddenly trying to force their way up. Turning on his side, Raimundo slapped a hand to his mouth in an attempt to stifle his coughing fit. Even though he had been teasing her moments ago, he didn't wasn't to worry Kimiko. If she had been watching over him all this time the least he could do was make her last bit of watching less worrying.

He jumped slightly when a hand came to rest against his shoulder.

"Rai, you okay?"

Well that plan just went straight out the window. With a huge mental sigh the Dragon of the Wind opened his mouth to reply but ended up coughing instead. Clamping his hands over his mouth Raimundo tried not to wince as he began to violently cough. His whole body shacking with the effort to try and stop them.

Actually, he was still shacking even though he had stopped coughing. Groaning Raimundo tried to bury himself in his bed as he continued to tremble - how humiliating.

"It's okay Rai." A pair of arms wrapped round his waist suddenly, a warm body coming to rest just behind his back. "You inhaled a lot of water which is why you're throat is raw, you were coughing so much." Her voice dropped here and Raimundo found his heartbeat picking up; he could practically feel the compassion and worry she was radiating. "You bruised two ribs and broke one. Which nearly pierced your lung which is partly the cause for your coughing." A face was suddenly pressed against his back and Raimundo could have sworn he felt the smirk on Kimiko's lips through his nightclothes. "And why you're trembling like a baby."

"I am not-"

"I know. Just wanted to check if you were feeling better."

Raimundo smiled to himself and settled back down, Kimiko spooned against his back. Her hands gently rubbing his chest in an effort to ease his breathing. Sighing, Raimundo felt himself relax under Kimiko's touch. He had felt like rubbish when he woke up and the fact that he had had trouble breathing had worried him. But here, cradled in Kimiko's arms like a small child, it didn't seem like such a big thing. Like she was forcing all the pain away. Which was stupid because there was no way she could actually do that. It was probably the drugs making him drowsy or something that was making him feel like this but . . .

He did feel better.

And he felt better because she was here. Because she cared enough to watch over him and make sure he was alright. Because she had spent the last four days making sure he recovered properly.

It was all because of her.

All Because Of **_Her_**.

"Kim?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

No more needed to be said. She understood and he knew she understood. And he was glad because he was sleepy and the pain was finally fading away so he just didn't have the energy to explain it to her even if she hadn't understood.

"No problem Rai." Kimiko murmured, moving herself so she could lean over and press her lips against his forehead in a gesture that reminded him of his mother. Smiling he clutched at her hand and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

Because he had never felt the peace he felt now as he was cradled in Kimiko's arms.

And the bitch probably knew that as well.

_End In Your Arms.  
_

Hm, I really liked this idea. Don't know why, I think it may have been exploring the possibility of Kimiko having a maternal side to her, like in 'My Baby'. But I kinda got stuck half-way through, stupid writers-block, which was really annoying. And then we had exams. So sorry. But you guys must be getting used to this by know, huh? Sorry, I really will try to better.


	11. Across the World

Title: Across the World.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #4, our distance and that person.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

Long distance relationships never work. Or so most people say, but Kimiko know that her and Rai's will work.

There's no way it won't. What they have is too special, too important. He's her smile when she is crying. He's her playmate when she's happy. He's her calm when she's angry. He's her confident when she's upset. He's her wings when she needs to fly. He's her hope when she's lost her faith. He's her other half. He's her _everything_.

That's why it'll work. No matter what people say. They don't understand. Nobody does.

Well, perhaps a few people. Omi, Clay, Dojo and Master Fung understand. They know. When they see her and Raimundo together they see what she sees; an unbreakable bond. Nothing can take this away. Nothing. And they know that too. And she's glad because perhaps, if they didn't see it, she might be a little less confident. But they do. So it's okay.

But maybe that because they've seen what she and Raimundo have been through. Seen what they've survived together. Perhaps that's why nobody else believes. She doesn't tell her parents half of what she's been through and they don't believe her when she does tell them. They don't believe in Shen Gong Wu and witches and evil boy geniuses and talking beans. So they don't know that when she says that Raimundo saved her soul that she means it literally. That Raimundo barely managed to keep her alive as he struggled to use the Shen Gong Wu to retrieve her soul. That he was in a coma for a month and a half because he poured all of his magic into saving her.

They don't what they've been through. They don't know that when Raimundo says he'll fly her to the moon. He means it. That he'll wrap his arms round her waist and lift her into the air. Dancing through the velvet skies so high that sometimes Kimiko swears she could reach out and touch the stars.

They don't know that. They don't know anything.

It's why she ignores her mother's words and her father's frowns. Because they don't know Rai. They don't know what he's done for her. She ignores her mother when she rants about the fact that Raimundo lives in another country and that he hardly ever comes to see her. Because they don't know Rai and they don't believe in magic. So they wouldn't believe her if she told them he used the Golden Tiger Claws to come see her every week. That he knows exactly when to come see her, knows exactly when she needs him the most. And he comes stepping through the portal, sheepish smile in place with his arms wide open. And she can't help but throw her arms round him every single time because even though it's only a week it always seems like so much longer. Maybe because she's used to him being by her side, day and night. They slept with a thin wall separating them, had their meals together, trained together, laughed together. He was always there. A constant part of her life.

Her daddy always frowns when she says that. That he's a constant part of her life. He doesn't believe her one bit. He thinks he's a good-for-nothing scoundrel. And he may be a bit of a scoundrel but he's _her_ scoundrel. And he's not good-for-nothing. He's hardworking and caring; he just jokes around a lot. But he's serious when he needs to be. Her father doesn't believe her and tells her so. And unlike with her mother, who she can ignore, she argues with her father. Because her mother says that the distance is too great and that _no-one_ is that devoted. While her father, her father says that there is something wrong with _Raimundo_. Says that Raimundo is using her, that he wants her money, that he doesn't care, that he has some other girl back in Brazil.

He doesn't. Kimiko knows he doesn't because he loves her and that it's only been seven months since the end of the five-year battle against the forces of evil and the separation of the team. That even if he was a cheater, which he isn't, he still wouldn't have moved on yet. And her father laughs and says she's naive and that Raimundo doesn't really love her – or care for her – at all. And Kimiko gets annoyed and yells at him because you don't spend _five_ years saving each other's _lives_ without becoming close. And he ignores that because he doesn't believe her when she talks about magic. And says that she should find a nice, smart, _sensible_ man and settle down. And she's only twenty-one but he's lecturing her on starting a family anyway. And she knows that it's because he's worried about her and that he doesn't really think she couldn't make a life for herself without some man supporting her. Knows that it's because he's her daddy and she's his princess and that he adores her and only wants her to be happy.

But it hurts.

It hurts that they don't trust her judgment enough to let her chose her own life – and boyfriend. That they don't trust her to take care of herself. And sometimes it becomes too much for her. Because even though she won't change her mind about being with Raimundo, sometimes it's difficult. When her mother yells and her father frowns. And she ends up in her room, crying by herself because she wants their approval. Because Raimundo is everything. Her everything. And they pressurise her so much sometimes, talking of when Raimundo will grow bored with her and stop phoning. When he will find someone else to be with who doesn't live half way across the world. Who –

"Kim, ya okay?"

Looking up at the brunet, who has her cradled in his arms, Kimiko smiles softly. He looks so worried; his usual cheery smile is replaced with a look of concern. And she can't help but feel her stomach fill with warmth. Because he's worried and he has been since he stepped through the portal to see her. Because he knows her. Knows her so well that the moment he looked at her he knew something was wrong. And he swept her into his arms. Peppering kissing across her face between words of comfort and she loves him for it. Because he knows what to do when she's upset or angry or happy. He knows what to do whatever mood she's in because he _loves_ her.

"Kim?"

Grinning, she twists round and plants a kiss on his lips. Her lips moving gently across his chapped ones. Chaste and sweet. But she pours all her adoration of him into it no matter how quick the kiss. Because she knows Raimundo will be able to tell.

"Don't worry about it Rai; it doesn't matter."

And it doesn't. It doesn't matter what her mother thinks, what her father thinks, what anyone thinks. Because she knows. She knows that Raimundo will be by her side no matter what.

And _that's_ all that matters.

_End Across the World._

A little short. But I didn't think I could add any more without it starting to sound too dragged out. So I kinda ended it there. A bit more of a thoughtful piece than I usually do but I quite like it. I have a few surrounding this piece. So maybe I'll churn them out too.


	12. Domestic

Title: Domestic.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #25, fence.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

Raimundo sighs and prods the wood in front of him.

The brunette doesn't know when it happened, or how, but he's become . . . _domestic_.

He isn't quite sure why the idea is hitting him now, years later, but it is. He isn't sure how on Earth anything that damn strange happened anyway. He had never imagined himself as 'settling down' type. He has always been wild, wild and untameable. As a child he had spent the greater amount of his time pulling pranks on people. He had enjoyed the chases when his siblings and parents came after him for dropping tar on the guests or some other childish prank. Pranks were one of the few things he was good at, that and being irritating. So he practised both until he excelled at them. As a result his parents had spent more time running around after him then they did any of his brothers or sisters combined. But he didn't care; he was wild. Why should he?

He wasn't much better as a teenager either. He had been considered a 'rebel' as his sister had put it. Spending his time on his new hobby; fighting. He had been good at it to. His parents were surprised to find out that their son was a natural fighter. There was something about fighting that made his blood boil and heart sing. As if some part of him had been waiting for the moment where he threw his first proper punch. As if fighting was what he had been _made_ for.

Of course, he had been, all Dragons were created with their destinies already written but he didn't know that till he was older.

His parents were surprised to find out that Raimundo enjoyed fighting over playing pranks and irritating people. His brothers were glad that he had at least some uses now and his sisters were just glad to get him out of their hair. So his parents didn't mind forking over a bit of extra cash if bit meant keeping him occupied. When Master Fung arrived however they were all very, very proud. His parents were so pleased that his one talent had been finally acknowledged and that it was going to be taken further. They believed every word Master Fung said and didn't question anything even when Master Fung said that they wouldn't be able to come visit Raimundo in China.

It was only later, when he was travelling with Master Fung on the aeroplane, that the old man had told him why he was really there. He had scoffed and said if this mumbo jumbo continued he would be back home within a week. Master Fung has just smiled knowingly, the same way all adults do when they think they know something you don't. Usually they were wrong because no one could ever guess what Raimundo's next move would be.

Master Fung was the first.

But not the last.

He arrived at the Temple arrogant and brash. Taking enjoyment in other people's unease. Because he had been wild and wild things can't settle for simple, everyday live. He had known that; it's why he went to the temple in the first place. To prove his superiority and then bugger off home.

And then something happened, or rather someone.

Kimiko.

She had changed his world, all the Dragons had, but she had had the greatest impact. He had cared for her in a way he had never cared for anyone else before and he had _changed_ for her. When she got annoyed and pointed out his faults he set out to correct them. Because it seemed, somehow, worse when she mentioned that he lacked knowledge then when someone else did. Worse when she said that upsetting people was stupid because _he_ wouldn't like it if someone did it to him. Worse when she yelled at him for pulling pranks and ruining her stuff. Worse, all worse.

And so he had changed. Bit by bit he began to see why people didn't like his ridiculous games. Why they didn't like it when he was sarcastic and insulted them. It was a slow realisation, started by Kimiko and spurred on by the other Monks. it was the comforting words instead of insults when one of them messed up and got themselves hurt. It was a growing sense of responsibility every time he failed to help one of them in time. The desire to do better not to prove he was superior but to prove that he was a good friend and that he could protect them like he was _supposed_ to.

He was actually rather surprised when he had been announced leader. He was also rather satisfied to know that all his hard work had paid off. That Master Fung had realised how much he had changed and _why_ he had changed. He would never admit it to the others but the real reason in him wanting to be leader was so he could order them about. That meant that if they were going to jump head long into some suicidal attempt to save the world he could stop them ad take their place. And he has done that several times actually. A number of them Kimiko had said she would never forgiven him for.

The only time he has ever believed her was the last time. When she came running up to him bloody and battered, tears streaming down her face, to throw her arms round him. He crumpled to the ground, unable to support the other girl's weight with his injured leg. But Kimiko had clung to him anyway and sobbed into his chest. Mumbling about why on Earth he did something so stupid? Did he not care what the others thought about _his_ wellbeing? Why on Earth would he leave her to be unmarried and alone for all eternity?

He remembers snorting and asking what his death would have meant to her being marriageable material. She had lifted her tear-stained face from his front then and looked him straight in the eye.

'"Stupid. Who else would I marry if you were dead?"'

He had blinked at her slowly then before leaning down and kissing her. It was a surprisingly gentle kiss for such an admission. Raimundo only kissing her chastely because he was all to aware of her split and bruised lip. Kimiko shifting slightly, to remove her weight off Raimundo's cut leg and to make sure she didn't press against his chest and broken ribs. But didn't really matter, because all the love and passion behind it were still the same.

And he had realised at the age of Twenty-Three, after finally beating back Wuya and saving the world from total darkness, that he was completely and madly in love. That the idea of living a life without Kimiko was incomprehensible. That he couldn't exist without the Japanese girl and that from now on he was going to have to start considering what his life would be with the Dragon of Fire continuously by his side.

He hadn't stopped being wild of course. Even with the realisation that Kimiko loved him he hadn't stopped being wild. Kimiko had been somewhat wild herself and so when he had gone running off somewhere she had followed him. Just as happy to be running round kicking bad guy arse as he was. He was wild and she was wild too or wild enough to not try to tame him.

He doesn't know when it all changed.

Raimundo heaves another sighs and taps the wooden panel before him again before reaching for the paint brush.

He's painting his fence.

White. Because Kimiko thinks it's the more 'appropriate' colour for a fence. Though Tsukiko wanted it light pink and for a moment Raimundo was certain she was going to be swayed by their youngest daughter's idea. But thankfully, for him, she had settled on white.

At which point he was booted out the house and told he wasn't allowed back in until the entire fence was pointed. Because Kimiko isn't going to do it because she refuses to wreck her clothes.

And so the brunet finds himself outside, in the baking sun, painting a fence.

Painting a _fence_.

It's ridiculously domestic and something that Raimundo has never _ever_ done before. Being yelled at by your wife to paint the fence is normal. And Raimundo has never really been normal before, never really wanted to be. He's was the wild child when he was little, the rebel teenager as he grew older and the Heroic Leader when he grew older. He had never wanted to be normal or domestic; he had wanted to remain wild forever. Like the wind, never staying in one place. Always wild, always untameable, always untouchable.

He finds it rather ironic then, that he enjoys being normal. That having a wife and family, and keeping them happy was what made _him_ happy. That being a good husband and having kids and arguing over the colour of his fence was something he enjoyed more than being a hero. More than anything else he had ever done in his whole life. And he knew he was damn lucky to have it.

So he grinned and painted his fence.

Because Kimiko really would leave him out here all night if he didn't.

_End Domestic._

Tsuiko means 'moon child' in Japanese.

Yeah . . . It's odd. I know. But I was trying to think of all the metaphorical ways I could use 'fence' and then I thought, hey, why not use a real fence? So um . . . yeah. Here you go.


	13. First Kiss

Title: First Kiss.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #3, jolt.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

"Who did you give your first kiss to?"

"Eh?!"

**Smack.**

Laughter suddenly filled the air. Raimundo groaned, both hands gripping his head, a frown marring his face. Kimiko sat beside him, clutching her sides as she laughed at him. Raimundo groaned again, glancing up at the windowsill above him. The pair had been sitting in the shade on a bench beneath one of the mediation temple windows. It was hot out and Raimundo didn't really like the heat so Kimiko, not minding it at all, had agreed to come sit in the shade with him.

"Where the hell did that come from Girl?"

Kimiko laughed, delicately wiping the tears from her eyes, making sure not to smudge her make-up.

"I was just wondering."

Raimundo scowled at her. "Wondering? We were chatting about how to get past the last level of Goo Zombies Five and suddenly you ask that?"

"Well," Kimiko murmured, watching the brunette rub his head. "I've been thinking about it for a while and I was planning on asking you at some point. And it just suddenly popped into my head. So I asked."

"You spend your free time thinking about who I've kissed?" Raimundo asked incredibly, still rubbing his head.

"No!" Kimiko snapped, turning to look the other way. "It's just . . ."

Raimundo frowned, rubbing his head with one hand still. "Just . . . ?"

"I was wondering if you had." She almost sighed at the blank look on his face and elaborated for him. "Kissed anyone."

The brunette snorted. "Of course I have. So have you right?"

Silence.

Raimundo turned to stare at the Japanese girl who was now looking anywhere but at him.

"You haven't _kissed_ anyone yet?!"

She still refused to look at him.

Sighing, Raimundo leaned forward, a thoughtful frown on his face.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Kimiko snapped, finally turning back round to look at him. Her face was flushed, pink dusting her checks. But it was mostly out of embarrassment rather than anger. Raimundo knew that, he knew most things abut her. Most being the key word as he had never realised she had yet to _kiss_ someone.

"Why haven't you kissed anyone yet?"

The blush on Kimiko's face got darker and it took her a while to find the right words.

"I . . ." She glanced down at her shoes, which were suddenly more interesting than her best friend. "I just haven't found the right guy yet."

"The right guy?" Raimundo asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Define 'right guy'."

Kimiko blushed again. "Well . . . you know . . . I want him to be kind and know me, you know? And intelligent, he has to be smart; I'm not giving my first kiss to an idiot. Oh, and cute. He has to be cute."

"Girl, it sounds like you're planning on marrying the guy. It's just a kiss."

Kimiko scowled. "I'm not! Besides your first kiss is very important."

Crossing her arms angrily, she turned away from him to scowl at the horizon. Though that quickly faded to a thoughtful look.

"You never did answer my question."

"What?"

"Your first kiss. Who did you give it to?"

"A girl named Sara."

Kimiko didn't understand the sudden need to know who this girl was or what she meant to Raimundo. But she did, very badly, so – "How do you know her? What does she look like?"

"She was my next door neighbour back home. Er . . ." Raimundo scratched his head, thoughtfully. "She had long blonde hair and brown eyes. She was really tanned; she spent almost as much time in the sun as I did."

The complete opposite of her Kimiko noted. Though the sudden weird angry feeling in her stomach was odd.

"You had to think about what she looked like."

Raimundo glanced over at her, leaning back against the wall. "We don't really keep in touch."

"But you gave her your first kiss!"

Raimundo shrugged. "So? It's not the most important thing in the world. She's not that special."

Kimiko frowned slightly. "Then why didn't you wait till you found someone special."

Raimundo smirked. "If I did I'd be waiting forever. Kinda like you."

Kimiko jumped to her feet, too angry for words, spun on her heel and marched off. The sound of running footsteps behind her made her quicken her pace. She almost yelped when a hand reached out to grab her arm.

"Kim wait!"

"Get off me, you-you-"

Reaching over Kimiko tried to yank the offending hand off her. Glaring up at him, Kimiko suddenly found her breath catching in her throat. She stilled, leaving her hand resting on his arm. His eyes, usually filled with pride, were apologetic. His face was worried, sad even, as if the idea of upsetting her so badly had upset him as well.

"I'm sorry, okay? I just don't understand."

"It has to be special." Kimiko murmured, glancing down at the hand that was on his arm. Blushing, she quickly removed it.

"Special? How?" Raimundo asked, frowning slightly in confusion.

"Well, you know, like in those movies where all the fireworks go off and stuff? I know it's not going to be like that but I want it to be something like that."

Raimundo smiled at her, softly. Honestly girls were so weird. "How do you know which guy's gonna give you your 'special' kiss?"

Blushing once more, he seemed to be able to make her do that a lot, she frowned at him. "I dunno."

"So you're going to wait forever?"

"No . . ."

"Why don't you just ask a friend or something if you don't wanna wait?"

"I don't know anyone who will-"

Kimiko almost jumped when the hand holding onto her arm suddenly pulled her against his chest. It slid from her arm, trailing warm fingertips down her arm, her fingers, before leaving her hand completely to slip round her waist, holding her close. His lips were suddenly pressed against hers and she felt it almost instantly. It was like there was a jolt through her system. Electricity shooting up and down her body. She was on fire but it was wonderful. Everything was wonderful and fantastic and perfect. She felt like she was floating, riding up into the sky on her pleasure. In that moment everything was perfect.

And then he pulled away.

Kimiko took a deep breath, trying to steady her pounding heart.

"Any fireworks?" Raimundo's voice was soft, caring even. With a hint of nervousness. In fact he was moving away from her; like he was afraid he'd done the wrong thing. Grinning to herself, Kimiko threw her arms around his neck. The startled green eyes that stared into her own almost made her laugh.

"A few. Would you do me a favour and see if a second kiss has just as many fireworks?" She murmured, before leaning forward to plant her lips on his.

Their second kiss held just as many fireworks, as did their third, and fourth and – well. Let's just say that Kimiko liked the fireworks shall we?

_End __First Kiss._

I'm not so sure about this one. But, that's up to you to decide. I just really liked the beginning idea of Raimundo smacking his head against something when Kimiko asked him a question. Don't know why though. Either way, hope you enjoyed it.


	14. Sweet

Title: Sweet.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #23, candy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

"Raimundo Persoda, I want you to repeat that."

Kimiko was sitting with Raimundo at the table in the main dining room. They had been given the day off and Clay had gone to town with Omi. Leaving the two of them by themselves, with nothing to do. Bored, they had taken to discussing various random topics while eating. Which was when Kimiko made _the_ discovery.

"Rai, how can you _not_ like candy?"

The brunet rolled his eyes at her. He had his chin propped up on one arm, his free hand only moving to bring his apple to his mouth and back to the table again.

"Like this."

Kimiko scowled. Forgetting her own fruit (urgh, she needed to go shopping with Master Fung next time, honestly fruit?) and leaning forward across the table to look Raimundo in the eye.

"Why don't you like candy?"

Raimundo sighed, and took another bite of his apple. "I just don't."

"That's not possible." Kimiko said. Everyone liked candy. Candy was the best thing ever, what weirdo didn't like it?

Raimundo. Apparently.

"It is so possible."

"Why?"

"I just don't have much of a sweet tooth." Raimundo muttered, taking another bite of his apple before tossing the core across the room and into the bin. He smirked to himself in satisfaction and looked back over at Kimiko.

"Why is it so hard for you to understand?"

"It just . . . is." Kimiko said, spluttering slightly as she tried to think up a good reason.

"Every kid likes candy. It's just not normal to not like candy."

"Maybe I'm just not normal then."

Kimiko grinned. "I knew you were always abnormal Rai, I just didn't think you were a freak."

Raimundo cocked and eyebrow at the girl. "A freak?"

"A freak." Kimiko muttered sagely, nodding her head.

Raimundo snorted, swinging his legs over the edge of the bench. He stretched, arms high above his head, as he looked at Kimiko out of the corner of his eye.

"The only freak round here is you, because you can't accept that I don't like candy."

Kimiko felt herself flush with anger. He was generally an abrasive person, it was just in his nature, but some times it really annoyed her.

Some times it was really quite adorable but she preferred not to think about that now.

"Oh, you, you . . ."

"Jerk?" Raimundo said, a smug smile lighting his face. "Asshole? Bastard?"

"Ohhhhhhhh." Kimiko was at a complete loss for words. And sat there fuming silently at the brunet. Who just continued to smirk at her.

The git.

"Ya gonna stop glaring girl?"

"…"

Raimundo stared at his friend who continued to sit there and glare. And glare. And glare. And –

"Quit it, Kim." Raimundo muttered, shifting slightly, her gaze was kind of terrifying. A slow smirk began to make its way over Kimiko's face as Raimundo began to squirm.

"Stop it."

Kimiko grinned at him, moving to prop her chin on her hands as she continued to glare.

Raimundo scowled back for a few seconds before wavering and –"Fine, how about this? You bring me some candy and I'll try it and see if I like it. And if I do, I'll buy you more of it, if I don't you have to . . . let me have your PDA for a week."

Kimiko paused, considering the idea before sticking her hand out to the brunet.

"Done."

Raimundo grinned and leaned over grasping her perfectly manicured hand in his own.

"But you have to be truthful."

Raimundo pulled an offended face, moving to press a hand to his chest. "Me? Lie? Kimiko Toho where on earth did you get an idea like that?"

Kimiko scowled.

Raimundo laughed.

"Alright, alright girl. I won't lie, geez, learn to lighten up." He muttered, getting up to his feet and slowly beginning to wander back towards the table.

"I expect your PDA the moment you fail so bring it with you tomorrow."

Kimiko scowled at the retreating figure before whipping out her mobile phone. It was time to make a few calls.

o

Raimundo yawned and slumped further over the table top. He was tired, training had been awful today. The brunet had the sneaking suspicion that it was to make up for the day off yesterday. The Dragon of Wind would bet his life that the only reason they had had a day off way because Kimiko had been bugging Master Fung about it.

Sighing, the brunet closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against the cool tabletop. If days off meant days with this kind of training he would be inclined not to have any more. He was not going to be able to move come evening.

"Lighten up Rai. I have candy."

Groaning, the Dragon of Wind looked up to see Kimiko standing before. A huge grin plastered on her face, despite the numerous bruises she was sporting, and a bag tucked under one arm.

" . . . Now?"

"Now." Kimiko affirmed, dropping into the seat opposite Raimundo. The bag was quickly placed on top and tipped upside down. The contents spilled across the table, hundred of sweets all in different colours and different types of packaging, rolled across the table.

"I said some candy Kim. No the entire bloody store." Raimundo growled.

Kimiko sniffed and reached for a rather big piece of brightly wrapped candy. "This one." She instructed, shoving the piece into his hand. Sighing, Raimundo tore the bright blue wrapped off and popped it in his mouth.

And quite promptly spat it back out again.

Kimiko pulled a face as Raimundo wrapped the piece back into its wrapper and hurled it into the bin.

"Nope."

"But that's-"

"Nope."

Kimiko scowled and reached for another. There was no way in Hell Raimundo was getting a hold of her PDA. She had made sure of it. She had got her Daddy to send her the most popular sweets. She was not going to loose.

Not to Raimundo Persoda.

o

"Nope."

"But that's the favourite in America!"

Raimundo sighed, tossing the sweet into the bin with the rest of the ones he'd been trying for the past half hour.

"It's foul."

"But-"

"I just don't like sweet things Kimiko." Raimundo said, standing up and wandering over to the cupboard to get a glass of water. That one had really left a horrible after-taste.

Kimiko growled, gritting her teeth. She couldn't _loose_; if she lost Raimundo would get hold of her PDA. Which meant that he would read the e-mails Keiko sent her. Which meant he would read the new 'how to get Raimundo Persodsa to date Kimiko' plans. Which would mean that she would never be able to leave her room again for fear of teasing.

That was not going to happen.

"One last sweet Kim. Then it's game over and you hand me your PDA."

Kimiko nodded slowly as Raimundo walked towards her. There had to be one sweet he would like. Not that he had really liked any of them so far. But really, there had to be at least one sweet she could _make_ him like.

"Kim, we've already wasted enough time on this as it is. Hurry up." Raimundo muttered, folding his arms across his chest and sending her smirk.

"You know you're going to loose either way."

Growling, Kimiko grabbed a small pink sweet and popped it in her mouth. Raimundo blinked in surprised, his arms dropping to his side, as he opened his mouth to ask Kimiko what she was doing.

She kissed him.

Her hands buried themselves in his hair as she pressed her mouth firmly across his. Raimundo started slightly when Kimiko forced her tongue into his mouth, bringing the pink sweet with it. It tasted sweet, sickeningly so. But he didn't mind, not with Kimiko pressed against him, her hands in his hair, her lips upon his.

Smirking against the brunet's lips, Kimiko kept the sweet forcefully in his mouth. If she could get him to eat it all, he couldn't deny that he liked Candy because he had swallowed it.

It was, Kimiko realised, the moment that Raimundo pinned her to the wall, that she noticed that the sweet she had forced into his mouth was long gone and he was _still_ kissing. Grinning, Kimiko pulled away slightly so she could bump her nose against his.

"So, still dislike Candy?" Kimiko asked, eyes sparkling.

Raimundo smirked. "If it gets you to kiss me it's the greatest thing in the world."

Kimiko laughed and leant up to kiss him again.

Safe to say that, even though Raimundo never _really_ liked candy, he agreed to eat it whenever Kimiko was around.

_End__ Sweet. _

I'm not sure what I think of this chapter. I started it just before the exams and came to finish it now. I had difficulty with the ending, you can probably tell.

Raimundo just doesn't seem like a sweet person to me. And Kimiko just can't admit to being anything over than right all the time. Her upbringing, in my opinion, won't allow it. She's always had her way. It's why she always argues with Raimundo. Because he enjoys seeing her angry. And she can't face the fact that she might have met her someone who won't give into her. So that's my sort-of explanation for this weird chapter. Um . . . enjoy?


	15. Lullaby

Title: Lullaby.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #14, radio-cassette player.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

"I. Don't. Believe. It."

Raimundo sighed, ignoring Kimiko as she stared at him.

"Raimundo, what on Earth is wrong with you?"

Sighing again, Raimundo stretched his hand out and turned the volume of the music he was listening to up. Really, it was the end of a long, hard day and he had wanted to sit in the fading sunlight and listen to some music, was that really to much to ask for?

"Raimundo!"

Apparently it was.

"What?" The brunet snapped, tugging his headphones off his ears.

"Rai, what is that?" She asked, pointing to the device in his hands. The brunet glanced down then glanced back up again. Cocking an eyebrow at her he said, "A radio-cassette player."

"So you do know what it is." Kimiko muttered; more to herself than him but Raimundo heard it anyway.

"Yes, I know what it is. Do you mind leaving me alone now?" He snapped, a bit annoyed at the way she was acting.

"Raimundo. That. Is. A. Radio-Cassette. Player." She said slowly, like she was talking to a small child. Raimundo scowled.

"Yes. I. Know." He said through clenched teeth.

"Rai! They are _so_ out of fashion!"

"I don't care!" He spat out, fiddling with the wire attaching his earphones to the cassette player. Kimiko placed her hands firmly on her hips and stared down at him.

"Alright Mister, what's up with you? Because I know for a fact you don't like to be out of fashion."

"Kim, you're mistaking _me_ for _you_. You're the one that changes your outfits every other bloody day."

Kimiko scowled. "I like to keep up with the fashions even if we do live on top of a mountain. And you may not care as much as me Rai, But I know you like to look good."

"Good as apposed to looking like I just woke up and shoved on anything that was beside my bed. I don't preen myself for hours every morning like some people." Raimundo muttered as he slid his earphones back on again.

"I don't preen for hours." Kimiko muttered sulkily. Raimundo snorted and turned the volume up louder.

Kimiko glared at him, a full-force I-Am-Kimiko-Toho-and-you-are-going-to-do-what-I-say-or-else glare. One that had most people begging for mercy or running away screaming in the case of one Jack Spicer.

Raimundo however, was completely unaffected.

"Raimundo!"

The brunet winced at the pitch of the Dragon of Fire's voice as she screamed his name suddenly. Glowering at her, he once again tugged his headphones of.

"What is it now?"

"Tell me why you're using something so completely out of date."

"It's none of your business," Raimundo muttered, scowling. Honestly, couldn't the girl take a hint?

"No!" Kimiko snapped. She was used to getting her way and even though everyone at the Temple didn't do exactly what she said when she said it. She still usually got what she wanted. Clay was a gentleman and if she asked Omi really _nicely_ then he would usually do it. Dojo either adored her or was afraid of her, so he usually did what she wanted.

Raimundo was the only one that didn't do what she asked. In fact, at the beginning, he did everything in his power to stop her from getting what she wanted. Over time, a grudging respect developed between the two. He didn't do what she wanted when she asked. But he did if he felt that she was asking sincerely or she really needed it.

It was weird in a way. Because Raimundo liked spending his time making their lives living hell. But here he was teaching her manners, patience. He had manners when he felt like it and was actually pretty understanding about most things if he stopped to think about his friends instead of his latest prank.

So some part of her wasn't that surprised when he started to glare at her when she threw her tantrum for not getting he way. Or when he started taking her phone off her when she spent too much time ordering the new fashion instead of training. It was like he had taken it upon himself to shape her into a better person. At first it had annoyed her but over time she got used to, even appreciated, the not-so-subtle elbow when she was being bratty with Omi or snapping at Clay.

She liked the fact that Raimundo cared enough to lend a hand, or fist, when she needed it. So she decided she was going to return the favour. She started it off by searching through all his stuff, when Raimundo had come in half-way through he had thrown a fit. And he had promptly taught her a lesson in personal space when he ran into her room and went through _her_ stuff. The impending fight earned them two month's worth of cleaning _all_ the temple floors. And Kimiko had decided that perhaps it hadn't been the best way to find more about him and began spending more time with him instead. She began to notice the little things, like how his eyes would light up when he thought of a witty comeback or the calculating smirk that would spread across his face when he thought of a plan and the delighted smirk afterwards when they fell for it. She took notice of the fact that, despite his always loud personality, he actually rather liked some peace and quiet. She could tell when he needed some time away from Omi's incessant question or Clay's odd sayings or even when he got fed up with her. At those points she would usually hand Omi a new game or drag Clay to the kitchen.

But this time she needed to know.

This time she needed to know what was bothering him because it wasn't her or Clay and Omi that had annoyed him. It was something else. And she needed to know. Not because she rather enjoyed figuring him out but because she couldn't bear to see him like he was now. Like he'd been all day, quiet and sad and . . . and . . . not Raimundo-like.

"Rai . . ."

The brunet said nothing; he only scowled at the radio-cassette player which he was now fiddling with.

"Rai, I know you really well, okay? And you've not . . . not been you today and it worries me. And I was looking for a reason why and the only thing that's different is that cassette player so . . . well . . ."

Raimundo sighed; turning to look at Kimiko he gave her a strained smile.

"When I was little my mother used to sing me to sleep." He paused for a second, before thoughtfully adding. "She used to sing for me when I was scared to."

Shaking his head Raimundo, turned the device over. "Anyway, it got to the point where I couldn't sleep without her singing and sometimes she couldn't be there to sing for me so she recorded her songs onto a cassette for me."

Pressing the open button, Raimundo pulled out a single cassette. In neat writing on the side the words 'Mama's Lullabies' were written.

"She's gone now. She died years ago."

Kimiko's mouth dropped opened in surprise, sure she'd noticed that Raimundo never talked about his mother but she just assumed it was because they weren't close not because she was . . .

"In fact, it will be six years today that she died."

Raimundo stared at the cassette, running a solitary finger down the edge. "I was just remembering her by listening to her singing, ya know?"

Once again he gave her that strained smile. And even though his lips were moving upwards she could see the heartbreak in his eyes, the tears that needed to fall but weren't.

"I-I don't think I can change the past but if there's anything else I can do. I'm here for you."

Raimundo said nothing. Sighing, Kimiko got to her feet. Dusting he trousers she took step away from him.

"Do you-"

Raimundo stopped abruptly, as did Kimiko. Who turned to look at him over her shoulder but he was still looking away, back turned.

"Do you think she'd be proud of me? Of what I've done?"

Kimiko turned around fully; running back to Raimundo she wrapped her arms round him. Burying her face in his hair, clinging to him tightly.

"She'd be very proud of you Rai. I know because I'm proud of you. You've come a long way, we all have, and I know I couldn't have done it without you. So she would have been proud of you Rai. So very proud."

His arms reached up slowly as he shifted so he could hug her properly. His arms tightened slightly and he pulled her close. She tumbled into his lap, still pressed tightly against him, she squirmed in his grip. Her hands reached out blindly, wrapping round the back of his neck to pull his face closer.

At this distance she could see the tears slowly trickling down his face and she felt her heart go out to him.

So she kissed him.

It was a desperate kiss. Desperate because he was, desperate to forget about the pain of losing his mother. Desperate because Kimiko couldn't stand to see him so upset. She continued to kiss him, rough and hard. She wasn't going to let him be upset, she was going to reassure him. There was no question about it. And perhaps it was her determination to make him feel better that when she pulled away Raimundo smiled at her.

A smile that wasn't his usual cocky smirk but it was half-way there. A smile that said 'thank you' and 'don't worry I'll be alright in the end' all in one go.

And he would be.

Because Kimiko would always be by his side.

_End Lullaby._

Okay. I really don't know if I like this one. I think Raimundo's a bit OC. But I needed to give you guys something. So here it is. Anyway, people we are half way!


	16. Publicity Problems

Title: Publicity Problems.

Author: Madmaddie.

Pairing: Raimundo/Kimiko.

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown.

Theme: #7, superstar.

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of the characters.

Kimiko Toho was world-famous. An icon. A superstar. A role model. She had everything you could ever want. Good looks. Good Job. Tonnes of money. A Loving Family.

Everything.

Apart from . . . a boyfriend.

"It's official Kim, you need to stop doing this."

The fashion designer looked up from her most recent design to look at the magazine that was dropped carelessly onto her desk. In big, bold letters the words 'Kimiko Toho treads all over another heart.' were printed. After it followed several pages of how she had 'cruelly and unjustly' refused the 'stunning and caring' up-coming actor from the latest blockbuster movie.

Kimiko sniffed in disdain and quite promptly shoved the magazine off her desk and into the bin beside it. Turning back round she looked up at Keiko, her long-term friend and second-in-command. The girl had her long hair pulled up into an elegant bun, with a few strands of hair left loose to frame her pale face. Her eyes, a lovely shade of silver, were narrowed in annoyance as she gazed at the former dragon of fire.

"It's not _my_ fault he hit on me."

"No." Keiko said, firmly crossing her arms over her expensive hand-made Toho-suit, "But you could have refused him a little more kindly."

"He tried to kiss me."

"You didn't have to slap him."

Kimiko snorted. "I could have done a lot worse Keiko and you know it."

"Kim, I'm your best friend but I'm also your manager; I organise all your press conferences, business meetings and just about everything else you do! This 'refusing to go out with anyone' is really beginning to drag your name through the mud."

Kimiko sighed and reached for her pencil, twirling it nervously between her fingers. "As my best friend you should know why I refuse everyone's advances."

Keiko sighed, dropping her hands to hang limply by her side. "Raimundo."

"Raimundo." Kimiko said, nodding.

"Kim," Keiko said in a tired voice, "Its time to introduce the world to your boyfriend."

Kimiko started, the pencil dropping from her fingers. "What? You serious?"

"Very." Keiko said, glaring. Her hands twitched slightly in a manner Kimiko knew meant that she was longing to take them to her hips in her 'I may only be your second-in-command but you _are_ going to listen to me' stance.

"But you know why we don't tell people!"

Keiko cocked an eyebrow. "Other than the fact that Raimundo is a world famous football-player? And that relationships between stars hardly ever work out? Generally due to severe harassment from the paparazzi?"

"If we tell people, everyone will want to know how we got together. And they'll start digging round. _Then_ they'll find out that me and Rai both went to train with Monks in China. Then they'll go and investigate that and they'll find out about Shen Gong Wu. Which would be disastrous! We already have too many people in the know already."

"I don't," Keiko said, dragging a chair out and dropping into it, "see what the problem with people finding out about the Wu's is."

Kimiko sighed, leaning back in her chair she began to rub her temple with well-manicured fingers. "We defeated Wuya and Chase Young years ago but the Wu are still slowly being activated. There's hundreds of them Keiko. So every now and then the four of us have to drop our daily lives and go and retrieve them. Just in case. If other people, people like criminals, found out about them what do you think would happen?"

Keiko winced. "They'd go after them."

"Precisely. Do you realize how dangerous some of those Wu's would be in the wrong people's hands? We're doing it to protect the world Keiko. I can't put my happiness above my duty."

Kimiko had managed, in the course of her speech, to shift from her slouched position to sit up straight, her hand was now curled tightly into a fist and a look of devotion was plastered across her face.

Keiko sighed. "I hate it when you do the whole 'sworn Hero' thing."

"But I'm right."

"No."

Kimiko blinked in surprise, her fist dropping onto the table with a soft thud. "What?"

"Even if they do find out about your training in China together it doesn't mean they'll find out about the Shen Gong Wu. Nobody's _really _found about them in all the ten years you guys have been searching for them. Why now? Besides," she added fiercely as Kimiko tried to cut her off, "you can tell them how you met. Just not mention the fact that the training was to save the world from 1000 years of darkness or whatever it was. That way it would stop them from snooping."

"I . . . I suppose."

"You don't like having these bastards try and drag you back to their beds do you?"

"No." Kimiko said, her fisting clenching in annoyance now. Neither did Raimundo but he didn't go beat them up for the sole purpose that he knew that it would make people aware of their relationship and ergo aware of the Shen Gong Wu.

"You don't like being called stuck-up for turning down all these lechers do you?"

"No."

"Then there's no problem." Keiko said, grinning and getting to her feet. "You call and tell Raimundo to get his butt over here so that we can tell the world you've been dating for the past five years and I'll arrange the press conference."

Keiko turned and swept out the room, her mobile phone already pressed to her ear, before Kimiko could say another thing.

Sighing, the twenty-five year old reached for her phone. Hitting the speed dial she brought it to her ear.

"Hey Rai? Um, you need to come for a visit . . ."

Twenty-four hours later found Kimiko Toho pacing the Tokyo New Studio waiting room.

"Why are we giving the conference in Tokyo anyway? Couldn't we have had it back home?"

Kimiko had decided not to set up her business in the same city her father had lived in and had moved to another city instead. Keiko had, of course, followed her. She would have followed her to China if she had been allowed.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because the main TV Station is here."

Kimiko snarled at Keiko who sat in a chair, filing her nails, completely oblivious the vicious glare she was receiving form her best friend.

Laughter filled the air. "Relax Kim, Keiko does have a point."

Kimiko's head snapped round to face her boyfriend. Raimundo was dressed in a pair of jeans and a hoodie, which was pulled almost completely over his eyes. His arms were folded behind his head and he was leaning back on the back two legs of his chair.

"I don't want to do this and don't take her side."

"Neither of us really like press conferences Kim." Raimundo said round a yawn. "But we really do need to do this."

The fashion designer knew why Raimundo wanted to do this. He didn't like the idea of people slobbering all over his girlfriend. Any excuse for him to beat up all of her former 'admirers' was extremely welcome in his books.

Kimiko sniffed and straightened out the fabric of her latest new skirt. It wouldn't be out in the shops for a few moths yet but letting people see it, and on her no less, couldn't hurt. She stretched out her newly manicured fingers, purple to match her skirt, and tugged on the collar of the dark blue shirt she was wearing as she dropped into one of the awful little metal seats.

"Couldn't you have dressed up a little more Raimundo?"

"No." The brunet growled from beneath his hood. "I finished a game, got on an overnight plane, which you know I can't sleep on, arrived here a grand total of two hours ago and you haven't let me sleep in those two hours." Raimundo paused, managing to somehow inflict a grumpy, and somewhat scary at the same time, aura on both girls in the room. "I'm tired and hungry and in serious need of a massage so the least I'm gonna be is comfy."

"…"

"…"

"Sorry."

Raimundo snorted in a way that Kimiko interpreted as 'It's okay, you idiot' before he stretched out a hand towards her. Shifting off the metal seat she was perched on Kimiko slid into the one next to her boyfriend and rested her head against his shoulder. He wrapped an arm round her waist and let her latch onto the cuff of his sleeve.

"I'm just nervous."

"About the revealing of a secret five-year relationship? To the overly critical, self-important, idiots that are the paparazzi? I'd never have expected that." Raimundo muttered sarcastically.

Kimiko smacked him on the head with her free hand.

"_Ow_."

"Be grateful I can't go fiery on your ass here Rai or you'd be a dead man."

Raimundo laughed. "Why do you think I'm teasing you now rather than later?"

Kimiko sniffed. "I'll kick your ass later."

"Nah, you'll be so tired from our press conference you'll just collapse when we get back to the hotel room."

"No,_you'll_ collapse from me kicking your ass."

"I don't-"

"Alright, that's enough flirting you two." Sliding her nail file into one of her pockets Keiko started towards the door. "You ready for the conference?"

Kimiko shook her and head and obediently slid from Raimundo's grasp to follow her friend. Raimundo yawned, managed to drag himself to his feet and trailed after both girls.

The cameras started going off the moment they were in the room. She could already here the reporters muttering about one of the most famous footballers in the World being being in a press confrence with _the _superstar Kimiko Toho. She started and reached behind her for Raimundo's hand.

"How were we going to tell them about this again?" She asked quietly, as the bodyguards started trying to calm down the reporters.

"We were going to give a long and boring speech." Raimundo said, and she could practically _taste_ the mischief that was creeping into his voice. Though a grown adult, Raimundo was still incapable of completely putting his pranking days behind him. Sometimes day it amused her, others it drove her up the wall. She wasn't quite certain what she would feel about whatever he was going to do next.

"But lets make it more interesting shall we?" Using the hand that was clutching his Raimundo spun Kimiko round to face him. He wrapped his arms round her waist and dipped her while he firmly planted his lips on hers.

The sudden roar of questions and the flashes of light as the reporters surged forward towards the couple that were lip locked on the stage almost deafened her. She could hear Raimundo laughing against her lips as Keiko began to yell at the audience to be quiet and _settle down_.

Pulling away from each other Kimiko turned to face the audience. Grinning sweetly, she wrapped her arms round Raimundo's waist and opened her mouth.

"I'd like to introduce you to the reason for my so-called 'trampling' of people's hearts." She looked up at Raimundo and grinned at the mischief and amusement she saw dancing in his eyes. "Raimundo Persoda, my boyfriend of the past five years."

As the reporters started babbling questions Kimiko couldn't help but smile. Sometimes Raimundo's pranks drove her up the wall, sometimes they amused her, and sometimes it was just too much damn _fun_ to play along for her to resist.

It's why she loved him.

_End Publicity Problems._

Well, I owed you guys one and I felt like setting another one of these in the future so here you go. I have another idea for Keiko so I thought I might add her in this one as well. If some of you guys don't know who she is (meaning you're not sad and take down the name of who Kimiko talks to on her phone like me) she's supposed to be Kimiko's friend. Though she stopped phoning her after the first season I still like the idea of Kimiko have a friend that's actually a girl. So yeah . . . I put her in. I quite like her but you can tell me if you think she sucks or not.


End file.
